Court ruling9/8/2026

Arbitrator Allows Max Heidegger to Play for Hapoel Tel Aviv

In a dispute between the basketball clubs Hapoel Tel Aviv and Bnei Herzliya, the arbitrator allowed Max Heidegger to play for the Tel Aviv team. Hapoel will be required to pay compensation to Bnei Herzliya, with the amount to be determined in a separate hearing.

Key facts

•Parties: Hapoel Tel Aviv and Bnei Herzliya
•Player: Max Heidegger
•Type of proceeding: Arbitration
•Transfer to Hapoel approved
•Compensation amount to be determined separately
•The case number and date of the decision are not specified in the source

Reason for the Dispute

Last season, Heidegger played for Bnei Herzliya, and at the end of February he asked to leave and was loaned to Spain's Burgos. Under the terms of the agreement, he was supposed to return to Bnei Herzliya the following season, while the contract permitted a transfer only to a club outside Israel.

The Clubs' Positions

Hapoel Tel Aviv argued that after playing for Burgos, the basketball player had already exercised the right stipulated in the contract to transfer to a club outside Israel, and was then entitled to choose any team. Bnei Herzliya insisted on a different interpretation of the condition and sought to prohibit the player's registration on the Tel Aviv club's roster.

The Arbitrator's Decision

The arbitrator rejected Bnei Herzliya's request and ruled that Heidegger may play for Hapoel Tel Aviv in the current season. At the same time, it was determined that the Israeli runner-up must compensate Bnei Herzliya for the player's transfer. The final amount has not yet been determined: a separate hearing will be devoted to this matter.

What this means for you

The decision shows that a disputed restriction in a sports contract does not necessarily block a transfer automatically: its application depends on the interpretation of the specific terms and circumstances. However, approval of the transfer does not preclude financial compensation for the former club, which may be determined at a later date.

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