Israeli Team Penalized, Team Bitches About It!!

An Israeli soccer team was penalized after fans chanted anti-Arab crap. The team then bitched about the penalties imposed, and they say that they plan to appeal.

Israeli team penalized for fans' anti-Arab chants

JERUSALEM - Defending soccer champion Beitar Jerusalem was penalized a point and ordered to play a home match in an empty stadium after fans shouted anti-Arab slogans.

The Israeli Football Association handed down the deduction after holding a special disciplinary hearing on Thursday. The association discussed reports that Beitar fans repeatedly chanted phrases deriding the Prophet Muhammad at a game against Maccabi Petah Tikva in April.

The team has had repeated run-ins with Israeli soccer authorities. Earlier this season, the league deducted two points from Beitar for fan violence.

The penalty deals a blow to the team's chances of winning a third successive league title. Beitar is seven points behind league leader Maccabi Haifa with five games left.

"Beitar Jerusalem is extremely disappointed with the IFA disciplinary court's ruling," the team said in a statement. "This decision significantly hurts Beitar and its achievements on the soccer pitch. The club intends to appeal this outrageous ruling."

Beitar was crowned league champion a year ago after a last-minute melee when its fans took the field in a premature celebration. Authorities threatened a points deduction, but later did not punish the team.

The team is owned by Israeli-Russian billionaire Arcadi Gaydamak.

Perhaps next time they should tell their fans to shut the hell up!!

I guarantee you that if the fans of the other team had been chanting anti-Israeli crap, the Israeli team would have no problem with that team being penalized!! But since they're being penalized, they're bitching!!

Did they tell the fans to shut up? I don't know!! Did they encourage the fans? I don't know!! But if they did, they deserve the penalty for inciting hatred!!