In addition to its standing as the most popular sport in the country, Israeli soccer has another, less savory facet — an emotionally charged and nasty side that has nothing to do with sports or the spirit of achievement. It is the political aspect. Thus, the fans of the Israeli soccer club Beitar Jerusalem are associated with the nationalist right wing, while the fans of the Israeli soccer club HaPoel Tel Aviv are known as sympathizers of the left. As for the supporters of the Arab soccer clubs, by and large, they are the object of hatred.
Arab-Israeli soccer players have always played on various Israeli soccer clubs. Rifaat Turk and Zahi Armali were pioneers in this field, and in their time, served as role models. In the course of their careers on the field, they starred in the Israeli national soccer team and represented the State of Israel. They paved the way for other Arab-Israeli players, among them Salim Toameh, Abbas Suan and Walid Badir — the latter a record holder in the Arab sector (having taken part in 74 games with the Israeli national soccer team). At present, there are three Arab-Israeli players on the national team roster.
But there is one Israeli soccer team in particular — the Israeli soccer club Beitar Jerusalem — whose fans have become known as the embodiment of racism and hatred, as reflected in their objection to the participation of Muslim players in the team.
During the last soccer season, two Muslim Chechen players joined Beitar Jerusalem. The club's fans were beside themselves with rage. They showed up on the field when the team had its training sessions and disrupted the training, cursing and spitting. At the end of the first league game in which the Chechen players took part, police had to escort them off the field after a number of fans tried to physically attack them. At the height of the crisis, some of the fans set fire to the dressing room at the club. Finally, at the end of the season, the Chechen players left the team, with a bitter image etched in their memories — that of Israel as a racist state.
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