Leeds Uni’s Jewish football team suspects antisemitism after Arab Society scraps fixture

A Jewish university football team was left stunned after an Arab team pulled the plug on their fixture at the eleventh hour.

High-flying Hapoel Hyde Park are claiming it was a clear case of ”antisemitism” after Arab Society cancelled their fixture just hours before kick-off – without any explanation.

Hapoel is made up of students from the University of Leeds and they are part of the Leeds Jewish Society, which has a league for footballers and a separate one for netball players. It is all meant to be for fun and played in a good spirit.

But Jasper van Veen, 20, who manages Hapoel, said: ”This feel like antisemitism to us especially as they played another game instead at the same time. It was all done very late and with no reason given. It kind of leaves one conclusion.

”For us, it’s a mixture of various emotions… disappointment, anger, frustration and confusion. This just should not be happening. There are a lot of emotions thinking of why it happened.”

And a club statement went even further. It read: ”To us, this is a blatant act of antisemitism, with players refusing to play against us as the Jewish Society, with these same players happy to play a game at the exact same time and place.

”We condemn the actions of these players and are patiently waiting for the union to conduct their investigation of the matter. In the face of anti-Semitism, we will not be silent and we will hold those who perpetuate and enable it accountable.”

The Student Union is looking into why the Arab Society withdrew and is due to give their verdict next week.

Hapoel boss Jasper has led his side to a superb run of results as their campaign nears its halfway point. They have won 4-0, 5-0, 6-2 and 4-0 and sit comfortably at the top of the table. The Arab Society are rock bottom.

But Jasper, from Manchester, and in his third year studying sport business management, reckons the actions of their rivals was brought about not because of a likely hiding on the pitch.

He added: ”We suspect antisemitism. This has left a really bad taste. It is a very upsetting moment especially with what is happening at the moment. This is a game of football and should not be influenced by what is happening.

”As a community in Leeds we all stand up for each other and don’t want this sort of thing happening elsewhere in the country.”

Jewish News contacted Arab Society for comment on Friday. It has not provided a comment but it is understood the team rejects claims that the game was cancelled due to antisemitism.