The Be'er Sheva magistrates court sent a strong message of zero-tolerance for violence at soccer games when it sentenced a fan who threw a gas grenade to one year in prison.
Naftali Yitzhak, a 24-year-old fan of Hapoel Be'er Sheva, threw the grenade during a home match against Maccabi Haifa in November.
Judge Ohr Adam wrote in the decision that the offense Yitzhak committed was serious.
"Violence on sports fields and around sports games have turned into a state plague which should be combated by, among other things, severe punishment," he wrote. "Sports should be an enjoyable pastime. There is no place for committing violence like the accused did, harming people who come to enjoy sports events."
Yizhak expressed regret for his actions. His attorney asked for a light sentence because his client had no criminal record and had thrown the grenade on the field without intention of hurting people.
The Israel Football Association expressed satisfaction with the sentence.
"Finally a judge not only understood the gravity of the crime but also meted out a sentence in proportion to its severity," said Moshe Avivi, the lawyer representing the IFA.
Avi Luzon, the IFA chair, had recently expressed his dismay to Haaretz about the lightness of sentences which fans had received for similar offenses.
Avivi told Haaretz yesterday he believed the decision would have a deterrent value and lead to a significant improvement of behavior among fans.
