2023-10-30 21:30:00
Sports leaders in Israel discussed the impact of the war in Gaza and the difficult security situation on Israeli sports in an emergency meeting convened by the Minister of Culture and Sports, Miki Zohar. The meeting, held on Monday, brought together unions, associations, federations, representatives of groups, and sports managers to address the needs and challenges faced by athletes in the region.
During the discussion, Minister Zohar shared his assessment on the return of football, stating that games would most likely be played without an audience initially. He mentioned that the Home Front Command is being consulted and that the current expectation is for games to resume in November. However, due to the unpredictable nature of the situation, the return of sports might still be impacted by the ongoing conflict.
Zohar emphasized the importance of continuing sports activities and not letting Hamas dictate the terms. He expressed his ambition to have as many games as possible this season, but acknowledged the need for adjustments to accommodate the circumstances. The compensation plan for the athletes will be based on the number of games played.
Several proposals were discussed during the meeting, with the aim of providing financial support to mitigate the losses due to the war. The sports leaders proposed that the state should cover 70% of the annual income lost, amounting to 60 million NIS for both the world of culture and sports every month. These proposals will be submitted to the Ministry of Finance for further examination.
Despite the budget cuts, Minister Zohar reassured the attendees that the outline for strengthening football and Israeli players in major leagues will remain intact. He expressed his commitment to fighting for these budgets and anticipated that the groups would understand the need for adapting to the current situation.
The meeting also addressed the issue of personal player contracts during the war period. It was acknowledged that players may not receive full payment to ensure the survival of the teams. Further discussions will be held to find suitable solutions in this regard.
Overall, the emergency discussion highlighted the challenges faced by the sports community in Israel due to the war in Gaza and the security situation. The Ministry of Culture and Sports, along with the sports leaders, are working together to build an outline for the return to normalcy in terms of training and games, while considering the safety and security of all involved.
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