Ex-Maccabi Haifa Goalkeeper Yermakov Praises Club Support Over Handshake Refusal
Former Maccabi Haifa goalkeeper Georgy Yermakov revealed that the club supported his refusal to shake hands with Belarusian players during the Conference League qualifiers, drawing parallels to past events.
Georgy Yermakov, the former goalkeeper of Maccabi Haifa, reflected on his time in Israel during an interview with the Ukrainian YouTube channel On-side. He discussed his refusal to shake hands with players from Belarus during the Conference League qualifiers, the support he received from the club, and his teammates' reactions to the war in Ukraine.
Recalling the European qualifying matches against Torpedo-BelAZ Zhodino, Yermakov explained his stance: "When we played in the Conference League qualifiers against a team from Belarus, I did not shake anyone's hand. I warned the club in advance out of respect. I said: 'I will not do this.' They answered: 'We respect you, you are doing the right thing.'"
The goalkeeper noted that Maccabi Haifa understood his decision, referencing a previous incident involving Villarreal. "They had their own history with Villarreal a few seasons ago during a security escalation in Israel. Villarreal supported the Palestinians, and our players did not shake their hands. There was a confrontation. Therefore, they understood me completely and stood by my side."
Yermakov also addressed how aware his teammates were of the conflict in Ukraine. Initially, he realized that locals were preoccupied with their own security tensions and uncertainty. However, the dynamic shifted after he began sharing daily updates and journalistic reports from his homeland on social media.
"When I arrived, people started following me. I publish things happening back home every day. Then they began asking me more frequently: 'What is the situation? When might it end? How is your family?' Once they saw my posts, the people around me started taking a much deeper interest," Yermakov concluded.
