JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli soccer team Beitar Jerusalem has been docked two points for racist chanting by fans.
The penalty by the Israel Football Association comes after Hapoel Tel Aviv striker Toto Tamoz was subjected to racist epithets during a game. Tamuz was raised in Israel and is of Nigerian dissent.
Beitar has been one of Israel’s most popular and most successful teams, having won the domestic championship title six times. In recent years it has fallen on hard times and is in danger of relegation from the top division.
Its rabid fans are notorious for racist and anti-Arab chants. The team will be playing its next home game before an empty stadium as punishment for a previous incident in which fans stormed the field.
