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Chelsea coach Avram Grant and his wife Tzofit. (Archives)
Last update - 10:24 21/02/2008
Chelsea's Israeli soccer coach gets anti-Semitic death threat
By The Associated Press and Haaretz Service
Tags: Chelsea, Israel, Avram Grant 

British police are investigating an anti-Semitic death threat sent to Chelsea's Israeli soccer coach Avram Grant and his wife.

Grant was in Greece for his team's Champions League match against Olympiakos on Tuesday when a parcel arrived at Chelsea's training ground in Cobham, 53 kilometers (33 miles) west of London.

A Chelsea staff member opened the package and found a note to Grant claiming that an accompanying amount of powder was lethal.
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Local police closed the training ground before the powder was tested and found to be harmless.

According to the Daily Mail, one note read: "You are a back-stabbing Jewish bastard. When you open this letter you will die a very slow and painful death."

Another message made sexual threats against his wife, Tzofit, a famous Israeli television personality.

"Specific actions are being put in place to ensure Mr and Mrs Grant are safe," a Chelsea source said in response to the threat.

Grant arrived at Stamford Bridge in July 2007 as director of football and became manager in September, following the departure of the hugely popular Jose Mourinho, who led the team for three years.

The anti-Semitic element among the team's fans is relatively small, but even the moderate fans view Grant's appointment against the backdrop of his nationality and his religion.

While many fans disagree with former Conservative heritage minister David Mellor, who said that the only reason Grant was appointed is because he is a Russian Israeli at a club owned by an Israel-obsessed Russian, some do believe that the Jewish presence at the club's highest echelons, and Grant's personal relationship with club owner Roman Abramovich are the reasons for his appointment.

The chairman of Chelsea FC, Bruce Buck, condemned some fans' use of anti-Semitic taunts against the club's manager.

"We welcome all constructive points of view. But there have been a few which could be viewed as racist and anti-Semitic and that must stop immediately," Buck said. "This is one thing we will not tolerate, whether in written correspondence, on the chat pages, on posters or banners, or through singing and chanting."


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      1.   Grant 15:20  |  Steves22 20/02/08
      2.   brings back memories of Munich Massacre 15:25  |  Avi 20/02/08
      3.   Welcome to the Clickfool homeland 15:56  |  Mayday mayday heeelp 20/02/08
      4.   yyyyyaaaaawwwwnnnnnn! 16:11  |  Sleepy 20/02/08
      5.   Another point about Munich massacre, Avi 16:50  |  Jackie 20/02/08
      6.   But it took a Jew .... 17:01  |  Ros 20/02/08
      7.   The wording. 17:25  |  David Nigel Braham 20/02/08
      8.   DAVID MELLOR 17:28  |  Alan 20/02/08
      9.   nice picture of kassams fired from civilian area 17:43  |  We got you! 20/02/08
      10.   Fight anti-Semitism. 17:57  |  Jean Van Daem 20/02/08
      11.   Not a soccer fan 18:04  |  Avrum 20/02/08
      12.   anti-what? 18:46  |  Rami 20/02/08
      13.   Grants death threats 18:46  |  Maurice 20/02/08
      14.   David Mellor 18:48  |  rich 20/02/08
      15.   anti-what? 18:50  |  Rami 20/02/08
      16.   Surprise Surprise 19:12  |  Ian 20/02/08
      17.   REALLY IS THIS SOMETHING NEW FROM THE ENGLISH 19:40  |  MJ 20/02/08
      18.   Most ugly, most stupid! 20:17  |  GoyMan 20/02/08
      19.   Most ugly, most stupid! 20:17  |  GoyMan 20/02/08
      20.   WHAT? Anti-Semitic sports fans? NO!!!! 20:32  |  :) 20/02/08
      21.   mellor and chelsea 21:19  |  english jew 20/02/08
      22.   re 17 21:29  |  english jew 20/02/08
      23.   GO HOME WHERE YOU BELONG 21:52  |  20x20 20/02/08
      24.   The problem is... 22:45  |  Esther 20/02/08
      25.   20x20 U go home where u belong misplaced son of Arabia 23:05  |  Assyoullah 20/02/08
      26.   M16 should investigate Clickschmuck 23:14  |  Paul Wood 20/02/08
      27.   Bush`s wisdom on Slowman`s education 23:25  |  Press Ass 20/02/08
      28.   Islamic nutcases not interested in football! 00:08  |  Palestinian Brit 21/02/08
      29.   Paul in Londistan 00:10  |  Palestinian Brit 21/02/08
      30.   Would someone tell us how many games Chel has lost since Grant 00:39  |  Alan 21/02/08
      31.   CHELSEA is doing MUCH better.Antisemites hate Jewish success 00:46  |  PETER SM 21/02/08
      32.   Mr D.MELLOR be proud of your part you played.!! The scumbags 00:52  |  PETER SM 21/02/08
      33.   PETER SM 05:25  |  geoff 21/02/08
      34.   THE MORE ANTI-SEMITIC THREATS.. 09:08  |  indrajaya 21/02/08
      35.   Pali Brit #29 00:09  |  ClickSchmuck 22/02/08
      36.   Brits Bad Sports who don`t play fair 02:59  |  PK 25/02/08
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