Maccabi Tel Aviv has announced that it will refuse any ticket allocations for its fans attending the Europa League match at Villa Park.
Following a risk assessment by West Midlands Police, the local Safety Advisory Group (SAG) decided last week to prohibit visiting supporters from attending the match against Aston Villa on November 6, a decision that has sparked strong criticism from various political figures, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
– Fan clashes cause Maccabi-Hapoel Tel Aviv derby to be canceled
– Starmer: ‘Wrong’ to deny Maccabi Tel Aviv fans entry to Aston Villa match
There have been numerous appeals to reverse this decision, but Maccabi Tel Aviv’s statement released on Monday evening emphasized: “The safety and well-being of our fans is of utmost importance. Given the lessons we’ve learned, we have decided to decline any ticket provisions for away fans, and we trust this decision will be understood in its proper context.”
“We hope the circumstances evolve positively, allowing us to compete in Birmingham in a sporting atmosphere in the near future.”
The club’s statement also challenged the motivations of those defending the ban.
“We appreciate the efforts of the UK government and police to ensure the safety of fans from both teams, and we are thankful for the support received from the football community and beyond,” the club continued.
“Our first-team squad includes Muslim, Christian, and Jewish players, and our fan base represents a diverse range of backgrounds. We are actively committed to combatting racism within the more extreme factions of our supporters.”
“It is evident that certain entrenched groups are attempting to negatively portray the Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters, the vast majority of whom oppose racism and violence, by exploiting isolated incidents for their own social and political agendas.”
<p"The spread of falsehoods fueled by hate has created a toxic atmosphere, placing the safety of our fans who wish to attend the match in jeopardy."
On Monday, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy stated that the decision to exclude fans “entails the exclusion of Jewish individuals.”
In response to an urgent inquiry in the House of Commons from former Sports Minister Nigel Huddleston on Monday, Nandy indicated that the police ultimately holds the authority to make the final decision.
However, she remarked that it is “appalling” the initial risk assessment was, she claimed, partly rooted in the perceived risks posed to fans attending the match simply because they support Maccabi due to their Israeli and Jewish identity.
She asserted: “The proposed solution, which is to bar a group from attending, is misguided. It opts for exclusion rather than exploring the full range of options available to mitigate the risk. This reflects on our values as a country.”
West Midlands Police classified the fixture as “high risk” last week, citing current intelligence and prior incidents, including violent confrontations and hate crimes, associated with the 2024 UEFA Europa League match between Ajax and Maccabi Tel Aviv in Amsterdam.
Independent MP Ayoub Khan, representing Birmingham Perry Barr, hinted at a “deliberate and insincere effort” by some to frame the issue as a ban on Jews, conflating policing matters with religious ones.
He emphasized, “Those who are unwelcome in Aston are the troublemakers with a long-standing record of violence and abhorrent racism.”
Nandy responded by expressing her dismay at the specific incidents and chants mentioned, stressing that none in the House should condone such behavior.
She further added that while there is “a minority” of Maccabi supporters whose actions are “reprehensible,” it is unfair to generalize this to all fans. She pointed out the unprecedented nature of banning all away fans due to the misbehavior of a small group.
The Fare network, which monitors discrimination for UEFA, stated they felt “reluctant to challenge” the police’s assessment while acknowledging that Maccabi fans have a “notable reputation for racism.”
Fare is known to have made multiple reports to UEFA over the past decade concerning discriminatory behaviors exhibited by Maccabi fans during matches.
It was revealed on Monday that the UK Football Policing Unit is in discussions with Israeli authorities to determine if Maccabi supporters played any role in the disturbances that led to the abandonment of the Tel Aviv derby on Sunday.
Maccabi maintains that their fans were not involved in any unrest, asserting, “Our supporters frequently travel across Europe without incident. To suggest that our fans are banned due to their behavior is a distortion of reality, meant to mask the true underlying reasons for this decision.”
“Our supporters, particularly within the Jewish community, are well aware of such tactics and recognize where they can lead.”