Amir Pleg Attacks Tzanciper and Zeevi: “A Campaign of Filth and Shallow Score-Settling”
A dispute surrounding Maccabi Tel Aviv: Amir Pleg, writing in HaYom, responds to criticism on Sport 5 aimed at Arik Stilman and the Recanati family.
The battle for Maccabi Tel Aviv continues. Ever since the Recanati family acquired control of the club, the massive deal has remained a constant fixture in the headlines. Arik Stilman, CEO of the club's sponsor, Rapid—whose own attempt to take over the club failed—has leveled harsh criticism against the Recanati family and the share sale process.
Stilman previously commented on the $50 million sale to the Recanati family, stating:
“They are afraid of change; they don’t want to communicate with the fans. In their view, the fans are a cash machine that needs to fund them.”
Stilman further alleged that the Recanati family uses their “propaganda channel” against him—Sport 5, which is under the RGE group and controlled by the Recanati family.
In his column published this Thursday in the newspaper HaYom, Amir Pleg pushed back against the criticism of Stilman aired on Sport 5. His piece, titled “Arik Stilman Anti-Maccabi Tel Aviv? On Sport 5, They Don’t See Their Own Hump,” argues that sports presenters Nadav Tzanciper and Raz Zeevi launched an attack on Stilman, describing it as: “Picking up a mud-attack from the proxies at Sport 5.”
As an example, Pleg cited Tzanciper’s remarks:
“I agree with you. Because when they say ‘the fans are not a cash machine,’ you are inciting against the management.”
Pleg concluded his critique with a sharp assessment:
“Such shallow score-settling has never been seen even in our sports media, which is flourishing in the trash.”
