Opinion  Others
World’s most disgusting team
Yossi Sarid
Published: 20.11.05, 22:38
Comment Comment
Print comment Print comment
Back to article
27 Talkbacks for this article
1. yalla betar!!
ash ,   gush etzion   (11.20.05)
of course sarid doth asume too much, sometimes he is just too intellectual for the rest of us so he fills in his own parts to every story. firstly many betar fans have said he would be welcome, i myself as a betar regular would have no problem with suan or any arab. what sarid doesnt know is that betar fans hate the ashkenazi secular 'elite' far more than any arab. they hate hapoel tel aviv and its 'star' player yossi abuksis and would rather have a team of arabs than he play for betar for a single minute. i can pretty much guarantee that sarid has never been to a betar game, i have been too almost all in the last few seasons. i was at the recent bnei sakhnin game and there was no racist chanting, there was strong opposition as there was coming from the sakhnin fans who sang 'allah akhbar' all through the game. thats football and woe is the day that someone of sarids ilk would change it....what he doesnt understand, he criticises.
2. Yossi has jumped the shark
Kyle ,   Southpark, CO, USA   (11.20.05)
Betar Jerusalem has not even made a decision on whether or not to sign this player and already Yossi is shrieking and spewing spittle. A sports club makes the decision on whether to sign on a player based on that player's ability to win games. There are no Arab players on any of the NHL teams in the entire league. Does Yossi also believe that all the hockey teams in the whole world are "racist"?
3. WORLD's MOST REPULSIVE JEW = YOSSI SARID
amir   (11.20.05)
The man calls for transfering women and Jewish children from their homes, THAT IS REPULSIVE !
4. Yossi Sarid: Ynet's most disgusting anti-Semetic writer.
Bunnie Meyer ,   Santa Monica, CA   (11.21.05)
If yossi sarid doesn't live in jenin with a suicide bomber wife, he should. And may he make her madder than hell when he beats her to take out his rage on Jews. Other teams won't even play against the Jews, but that is OK isn't it yossi arafat sarid?
5. well, i have to admit...
Yakir ,   Swiss   (11.21.05)
...that israelis are the biggest racist ever, but at least we have a good reason. i think this is all total bullshit. why wouldn't they let an arab play in their team? we're not talking about joining the army... it's just sports... if you wanna have peace man, then only with sports... don't u think?
6. How many Jews play on Arab teams?
Daisy ,   USA   (11.21.05)
7. I really don't understand where Yossi is coming from
(11.21.05)
Personally, I cannot distinguish most Jews - ASHKENAZI and Sephardic - from Arabs. The only thing that separates them is their religion, language, and culture. They look pretty much the same 'racially' to me. So, unless it is black Ethiopians or Chinese people shouting 'no Arabs,' I can't really pinpoint where and what the racism is.
8. #2
Dave   (11.21.05)
Interesting comparison to say that NHL teams could be labled racist because they don't sign arabs. That's not really the issue is it? Just as there are no arab hockeyplayers in NHL there aren't any Israeli simply because there ain't any good ones. In football though there are obviously many very skilled arab players. Not only in Israel but also in the European teams. Just consider two of the top European sides that are considered to have a jewish connection; Ajax and Tottenham. Both have had several great arab players and do as of now, such as Mido in Tottenham. So cut the crap, Beitar have a lot of racist arses as fans just as lets say Feyenoord has. That doesn't make the team shyte but the suggestion that Beitar doesn't have quite a bunch of racist fans is simply untrue.
9. You're wrong. Lazio and Feyenoord fans say the same thing.
Tahl ,   Israel   (11.21.05)
About Jews.... And their fans are worse than Beitar's. Trust me, you don't want them to identify you as a Jew when you sit among them. Not many years ago, the owner of Lazio contemplated bringing a Dutch player named Aaron Winter to the team. The fans, who suspected this player was Jewish (he actually wasn't, but that's not important), made huge protests and threats against the management, until they backed out. Furthermore, it is not an uncommon sight to see antisemetic banners in these teams' games (and probably others teams too), at one time I remember a sign taunting the opponents - "you stink like Jews"... And the owners and management, of course do nothing, as they want to protect their business. And by the way, this is not limited to soccer. In many basketball games abroad, Israeli teams have suffered from antisemetic banners and curses, not to mention what the fans had to endure. Ask Maccabi TA fans what signs waited for them in Vitoria a few years ago. Ask Hapoel TA fans about their experience in Cyprus last year. Or all the teams who played in Lithuania, against Zalagiris and Ritas. In all those cases, UEFA and FIBA did close to null. And we're talking about teams, which most of them are much more well known and acclaimed than Beitar. All these teams have absolutely no problem playing in Europe. There was never anyone influential, who suggested to ban these teams from Europe. And yet, the "mighty" Beitar is your top concern? It's not that I come here to support this behavior - I still think it is racist and ugly. However what you do here - is fueling the fire even more, spreading the controversy even further, all for political gains. I'm not a fan of Beitar, I even dislike soccer, but I know many wonderful fans to whom this article does great injustice.
10. Get a grip.
Bill Pearlman ,   Chicago, USA   (11.21.05)
The owner bought this team. If the fans stop coming he won't sell tickets. I live in Chicago not Jerusalem and personally I never heard of this guy but Sarid wants to bar this team from playing because they don't want to sign a player. Sounds a little like the thought police to me and Yossi Sarid must have a lot of free time on his hands.
11. #9
Dave   (11.21.05)
I don't really really know who you are addressing but I have a feeling it might be me (or I just have a slight touch of meglaomania). If not I have to comment anyhow. Can't but agree. Lazio should be listed as much worse than Feyenoord. As far as I know it's the most fascist club in Western Europe, at least if looking at top clubs. That's why they never had a black player in the club for instance. Real Madrid sure had their days too as they are another prefered club of previous fascist dictator (Franco). As for what goes on in the basketball world I have no idea as I'm simply not interested in the sport. But yup Eastern European countries don't have a good rep when it come to their fanbase in football. Somehow I have serious doubts us listing which team is most racist or antisemitic will do much good. My opinion simply is that saying that Beitar ain't got problems is not facing the reality. And as always it's not really effective to say some other team is doing things wrong if ones own team have fans doing the same racist chanting although against another religion. There are always teams that will be worse, but perhaps Beitar should try to avoid getting compared with those.
12. I like Soccer : - )
David ,   USA   (11.21.05)
13. #11
Tahl ,   Israel   (11.21.05)
I was referring to Mr. Sarid, the writer of the article. Notice that I did not condone the racist behavior of those outspoken Beitar fans, it only bugged me to see Mr. Sarid exaggerate so much, and call Beitar the "world's most disgusting team", and that they are the only fans who openly declare they don't want a player of some origin. That is plain wrong and misleading, and shows an infuriating double-standard. Unfortunately, there are too many clubs like this (and much worse) all over Europe. And since no one has ever suggested banning these far-more racist clubs from Europe, who put Sarid to call for banning Beitar? Deal with the problem from within, pass a law in the Knesset, reinforce the execution of existing anti-racism laws. But these sort of demagogic declarations do great damage to Israel. Now Europeans see this, and say to themselves, "well, if the Jews themselves say that they're racist, then it absolves us from fighting anti-semetism in our own football field, heck, maybe even our emotions against Jews are legitimate now..." And all this, for Yossi's political gains(even though he is no longer MK, he still has his agenda to promote).
14. Racisim in Israel
Micha ,   Jerusalem, Israel   (11.21.05)
There is an enormous amount of racism in Israel. Ashkenazim discriminate against Sephardim, Jews discriminate against Arabs, and Arabs do the same against Jews. Although there are many very good people here in Israel, there are also many people filled with hatred. Racial discrimination in sport simple adds to the bitterness and hatred that divides people. We must all learn to respect our common humanity and understand that we are all created in the image of G-d.
15. Thanx Mr 14 from J'lem
yoel   (11.21.05)
16. amen on that
alan ,   sf   (11.21.05)
thanks for bringing this unacceptable situation to the attention of the world
17. What Jew wants to have to see this?
Daniel ,   New York   (11.21.05)
To go to a soccer match and see the same racist thugs you see elsewhere, except this time they're Jewish? No wonder so few of us want to live in Israel.
18. BUNNIE MEYER'S RACIST STORE SIGNS
Daniel ,   New York   (11.21.05)
I read on the internet that Bunnie Meyer has a store with racist signs in the window that have been the subject of anti-racism protests. Among her signs : 1. “Mexicans are a bunch of Third World circus freaks” 2. “ Rag head terrorist pigs”. http://www.lacitybeat.com/article.php?id=1288&IssueNum=70 This woman is obviously a nut job.
19. to 16 and 17 and many others
ash ,   gush etzion   (11.21.05)
do not beleieve the rubbish sarid is spewing, he has never been to a match. i go regularly and can say it is all a load of rubbish. last month we played sakhnin and i didnt hear a single racist song. many dont want suan because he plays for our rivals. its the sam for barcelona and real madrid, rangers and celtic and every other rivalry. anyone who doesnt understand this doesnt understand football.
20. football
pilpelet ,   haifa israel   (11.21.05)
what in the hell is wrong with everybody its supposed to be sport fun shouting for your team to win, a chance to sing infull voice (even if you sound like a cat in heat) who in the hell cares if he prays this way or that way or if a player is black or white or heven forbid maroccon. glasgow rangers fan .
21. Daniel, you're very wrong
AK   (11.22.05)
There are not so few Jews willing to live in Israel since currently, for the first time ever, there are more Jews living in Israel than in the US. Sarid, like most of Israeli , and unfortunately our's too, Left is a completely delusional idiot -- his country is fighting a war for it's very existence, and he accuses his own people as worst in the world? What a total lack of good judgment.The man should be made to account for his words.
22. ROSH HODESH
DACON9   (11.22.05)
I DIDNT HAVE THE PATIENCE TO READ THIS ARTICLE AFTER THE FIRST PARAGRAPH. BUT THE AUTHOR NEEDS TO HAVE A DATE WITH MADONNA. AND...THEY ARE SELLING TICKETS TO COLONIZE THE MOON. I WILL DONATE THE FIRST DOLLARS TO THIS FUND SO THE AUTHOR CAN GET A TICKET. HE START A SOCCER TEAM UP THERE..I WILL WATCH IT EVERY NEW MOON.ROSH HODESH
23. AK
Daniel ,   New York   (11.22.05)
By "us" I mean Diaspora Jews. There are very few who want to move to Israel. And most of those who do move to Israel would rather go to the US or Canada (or Germany) if they had the chance. And Sarid doesn't accuse "his own people as the worst in the world." He says the fans of Betar Jerusalem are. And he even says not all of them. But the racists are your friends, Adina, and you'll defend them as usual. Pretty soon, however, they'll be voting for Amir Peretz instead of the Likud and Shas. And then the final nails will be put in the coffin of your ridiculous dream of Greater Israel.
24. Soccer
Kyle ,   Southpark, CO, USA   (11.22.05)
Soccer blows. Hockey and basketball rule!
25. KYLE
DACON9   (11.22.05)
SOME OF THOSE 6 '9 '' ARE AMAZING DONT YA THINK? BUT DO YOU JUSTIFY THEIR SALARIES OF 2 TO 10 MILLION $$$ A YEAR. SEATS ARE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS THEN WE HAVE TO WATCH THEM SPIT AND SCRATCH. HOW MANY OF US RUN TO HEAR SPEACHES OF GREAT RABBIS OR PRIESTS AND ARE WILLING TO PAY SUCH AMOUNTS TO HEAR THE ACTION OF OUR SOUL? AND WE COMPLAIN IF THEY ASK FOR DONATIONS. AT LEAST THESE SEATS WILL HAVE A LASTING IMPACT ON US INTO THE NEXT WORLD UNLIKE A FOOTBALL GAME THAT WHEN OVER WE GO INTO THE CLOSEST BAR FOR A FEW BEERS. YEARS AGO I DID LOVE KARATE STUDIED FOR ABOUT 8 YEARS. TAUGHT THE POEPLE IN MY SHUL FOR A WHILE. WE HAVE TO IMPROVE OUR BODIES TO HAVE A HEALTHY MIND IN ORDER TO LEARN GDS WAYS. ***********MACABBEES**********
26. feral cats and fetid sacks
jack hunter ,   melb aus   (11.23.05)
it seems yossi the feral cat got out of the fetid sack
27. yalla betar!
EsDee ,   Pittsburgh, USA   (01.21.06)
ok... so I'm not upholding racism, but am I not right when I bring up the small fact that everyone seems to be overlooking here... that Betar are not the only ones pulling the race card here! Do not the Arabs have their own little death chant also? I think its pretty twisted how the media is standing up for them and ignoring the fact that their players threw explosives at Betar's goalie, to say the least, like its ok. Get a grip! Sorry, but I'll be cheering for Betar no matter what. Stop acting like they're the ones who are wrong
Back to article