The chief executive of Israeli football team Maccabi Tel Aviv has denounced “falsehoods” and hatred being spewed about their supporters, leading to them being banned from Aston Villa, while accepting there is work to do to eradicate racism in the fan base.
Jack Angelides told Sky News there is a need for “toning down the incitement” ahead of tomorrow’s Europa League match at Villa Park, which will see more than 700 police officers deployed with protests anticipated outside by Palestinian and Israeli groups.
Mr Angelides revealed the club has not been given a specific reason for Birmingham authorities banning their supporters – a decision which the government pushed to be overturned before Maccabi said they would reject any fan allocation granted in any case.
“We feared for the safety of our fans and it’s a huge responsibility,” Mr Angelides said in an interview at Villa Park.
“[With] a lot of incitement, we didn’t feel comfortable in taking that allocation and that’s a sad day in football because things like that shouldn’t happen.
“People have the right to freedom of speech, absolutely, but people don’t have the right to spew hatred.”
Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) announced last month that visiting fans will be barred from attending the game at Villa Park amid public safety concerns.
West Midlands Police also classified the Europa League match “high risk” and said the ban was necessary due to “current intelligence and previous incidents”.
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That was a reference to Maccabi’s match at Ajax last November when their fans were attacked by locals, leading to five convictions.
No Maccabi fans were prosecuted. They were seen tearing down Palestinian flags and chanting anti-Arab abuse.
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Mr Angelides said: “We have not been given a clear reason [for the ban], but I have seen people coming up with all sorts of stories of our fans, especially in Amsterdam, where there was, what the Amsterdam authorities themselves classified as ‘a Jew hunt’, being portrayed as organised fighters, soldiers, etc, etc.
“It’s just blatant falsehoods, and people who say those things know that they’re false and shame on them.”
Mr Angelides believes the decision has been kept private to leave open for people to form a conclusion and characterise his club as racist.
Ayoub Khan, the independent pro-Gaza MP whose constituency covers Villa Park, called for the ban because the club has “hooligans who have a long history of violence and vile racism”.
“Any club that tries to suggest that they don’t have any issues, whatever that may be, it’s untrue,” Mr Angelides said.
“We know we’ve got a long road ahead. There are elements in the club that are not in line with our values, our morals, and we do expend a lot of energy and have been for many, many years in trying to… eradicate that.
“But to malign thousands and thousands of good fans with the actions of a few, it’s a dangerous game because I think that’s something that is not conducive to toning down the incitement that’s actually going on now. It’s manipulation to my mind.”
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Football focus
Mr Angelides did not discuss whether there was fear among the players going into a potentially hostile environment.
“We have Jewish players; we have Christian players; we have Muslim players – we’re a club that’s quite diverse,” he said.
“There is an understandable excitement of playing. They’re aware, … the last two years have taken a toll on Israeli society because of what’s been going on. So they’re very aware of the situation, but I think they’re prepared to focus on their football.”
The game is going ahead, after moves in European football to ban Israeli teams over the war in Gaza faded, as a peace deal was implemented.
