IDF to soccer star Sahar: Report for duty at once

The IDF is demanding that Israeli soccer star Ben Sahar, who recently signed a lucrative multi-year contract with RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, complete his basic training.

The demand came after the Israel Football Association (IFA) informed Sahar that it no longer acting on his behalf in the dispute with the army.

The 19-year-old Israeli striker, who is currently in Spain, was scheduled to undergo basic training in June, but he delayed his enlistment on the grounds that he was close to signing a deal with Espanyol and that leaving his new club during the summer would hurt his preparations for the upcoming season.

Sahar further claimed that his participation in the Israeli Olympic team's game against Bulgaria some three weeks ago would have prevented him from completing his basic training adequately.

'Important, beloved player'

According to the IFA, the army had agreed to consider the trip to Bulgaria a part of Sahar's obligatory six-week basic training period.

"We informed Sahar that we were forced to transfer the handling of his case to the military authorities, and that from now on the IDF will deal with him directly," said the IFA.

"Sahar is an important, beloved player, and it is regretful that despite the agreements we had reached on his behalf, which were not implemented, we are forced to transfer his case to the army. We hope that the affair will eventually be resolved."

Photo: AP

CEO Uri Shilo told Ynet that the IFA had struck a deal with the army to postpone Sahar's recruitment until October 2009, but added that "once he breached this agreement it became difficult for us to stand by him."

The army is now demanding that Sahar complete his basic training in July upon his return from Espanyol's pre-season practices, or in October.

A source close to Sahar said, "Ben can't complete his basic training at this time; there is no magic solution here. He wants to serve or do something else instead of basic training, but it just wasn't possible this year."

The IDF said in a statement that it expects Sahar to "honor the agreement that was reached during his enlistment to the army in October 2008. He was offered a number of alternatives that would allow him to combine his sports-related activates with army service."

An Espanyol official told Ynet that Sahar had made it clear that he would begin his training with the club as scheduled and that he would not have to leave for Israel in July (to complete basic training).