Beer Sheva’s Hapoel club midfielder Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov, a Russian player, has been banned from 10 matches following involvement in a post-match altercation between Israel’s Hapoel and Maccabi Haifa. The sanction was reported by an Israeli outlet.
The Israel Football Federation announced penalties for the factions involved in the May 12 melee, with sanctions ranging from two to 15 matches. In addition to suspensions, both clubs were stripped of three points, and clubs faced substantial fines tied to the use of fireworks and racist behavior from fans in the stands.
Earlier, on May 1, a scuffle erupted just after a goal was scored in the 96th minute, drawing scrutiny toward on-pitch actions and team conduct. A Russian player was seen striking opponent midfielder Dolev Khaziz during the incident. Media outlets indicated that this player could be facing a 12-match ban in relation to the clash.
Following the incident, Israeli media noted that Hapoel elected not to pursue the transfer of Suleymanov from Krasnodar, the club competing in Russia’s Premier League. This development marked a potential turning point in the negotiations surrounding the player’s future with Hapoel.
Representatives for Suleymanov, including agent Alan Aguzarov who has previously worked with Hapoel, indicated that the club remains open to the possibility of securing the midfielder from Krasnodar under the right terms, though no definitive agreement had been reported at the time. The evolving situation underscored the complexities tied to player transfers in a league that often intertwines competitive stakes with disciplinary actions arising from high-tension incidents on match days. The federation’s decision to impose penalties signals a broader emphasis on player conduct and stadium behavior, aiming to deter similar occurrences in future fixtures.