Haifa player injured in brawl
Photo: Oren Aharoni
Soccer: Maccabi Petah Tikva points deduction reinstated
Initial decision to defer to next season a ruling that docked club three points over on-pitch brawl stirred uproar
An Israel Football Association (IFA) appeal court on Monday reinstated a three-point deduction against Maccabi Petah Tikva, increasing the Premier League club's relegation fears.
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An initial three-man appeal hearing last week ordered to defer to next season a ruling that docked the club three points as punishment for an on-pitch brawl at the end of their 2-1 league win over Hapoel Haifa on March 31.
But the first appeal court's decision caused uproar and led to allegations that Israeli FA chairman Avi Luzon, a former Petah Tikva club owner, had influenced the outcome. He denied any involvement in the court's ruling.
Luzon resigned from all his roles at Petah Tikva when he became IFA chairman five years ago but the club is now controlled by his brother Amos and other family members are also involved in running the outfit.
In handing down its decision on Monday, the second appeal court consisting of five panelists said: "We believe that for the punishment to be effective, it would be right for it to be executed in the same season (in which the offence occurred)."
Luzon has faced increasing pressure to resign following a number of violent incidents this season which has seen five Premier League clubs docked points for various offences.
On Sunday Luzon called on Maccabi Haifa president Yaakov Shahar, one of Israel's most successful club bosses, to head a committee that will propose ways to quell unrest in the local game but Shahar on Monday declined to head the panel.
