Beitar Jerusalem owner Eli Tabib said yesterday that he is putting the Israeli Premier League club up for sale because he felt ashamed of supporters who threw smoke bombs, flares and firecrackers during a Europa League qualifying-round game in Belgium on Thursday.
Nine-man Beitar were thrashed 5-1 by R Charleroi in their first-leg tie.
The match was held up at the start when fans threw dozens of incendiary devices onto the pitch, enveloping it in smoke.
Photo: EPA
Toward the end of the match, Charleroi goalkeeper Nicolas Penneteau was allegedly hit by a hard object thrown from the crowd, which forced another delay.
Beitar can expect severe punishment from European governing body UEFA.
“I am ashamed... I have decided to end my involvement with Israeli soccer and am returning to the United States,” Tabib said in a statement.
“I will appoint a trustee to run the club until somebody is willing to buy it,” he added.
Israeli Minister of Sports Miri Regev condemned the action of the fans, saying on Facebook that a “small group of thugs” had defamed Israeli soccer.
Beitar are due to host Charleroi in the return leg at Jerusalem’s Teddy Kollek Stadium next week and Regev said security, which is always heavy at Beitar matches, would be tightened further.
Regev said Beitar fans should be banned from attending.
In other games on Thursday, it was: AIK Solna 2, Shirak 0; Beroe 0, Brondby 1; Cukaricki 1, Gabala 0; Dacia Chisinau 1, MSK Zilina 2; Copenhagen 2, Newtown 0; Vaduz 3, Nomme Kalju 1; Jelgava 1, Rabotnicki 0; Vojvodina 3, Spartaks 0; Ferencvaros 0, Zeljeznicar 1; Fimleikafelag Hafnarfjaroar 1, Inter Baku 2; Inverness CTFC 0, Astra Ploiesti 1; Jagiellonia Bialystok 0, AC Omonoia 0; KR Reykjavik 0, Rosenborg 1; Kairat 3, Alashkert 0; Koper 3, Hajduk Split 2; Legia Warsaw 1, Botosani 0; Mlada Boleslav 1, Stromsgodset 2.
As well as: NK Lokomotiva 2, PAOK 1; Randers 0, Elfsborg 0; Rijeka 0, Aberdeen 3; SK Slovan Bratislava 1, University College Dublin 0; Shakhtyor Salihorsk 0, Wolfsberger AC 1; Shamrock Rovers 0, Odd Grenland 2; Skonto 2, Debrecen 2; Slask Wroclaw 0, IFK Goteborg 0; Trabzonspor 1, Differdange 03 0; West Ham United 1, Birkirkana 0; Spartak Trnava 2, Linfield 1; Kukesi 0, Mladost Podgorica 1; Cherno More 1, Dinamo Minsk 1; Apollon Limassol 4, Trakai 0; Hapoel Be’er Sheva 1, Thun 1.
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