Defying the hooligans

The signing of two Muslim players from Chechnya is the best deed Arcadi Gaydamak has ever done as owner of the Beitar Jerusalem soccer club. It was the proper step to take, even if nationalist Beitar Jerusalem fans allegedly broke into the club's compound on Friday, setting offices on fire and destroying priceless historical mementos.

Beitar Jerusalem is not just any Israeli soccer club. It is a concept, icon and symbol. It has a huge group of followers across the country. The club's victory song, "I love you, Beitar," can be heard from Kiryat Shmona to Beersheba.

But for years, racism displayed by some Beitar Jerusalem fans has prevented the club from having a respectable image. Both before Gaydamak bought the team in 2005 and during his ownership of the team, a wealthy businessman who was among the club's fans offered to fund the acquisition of an Arab player, hoping this would minimize nationalist hostility among the club's fans. Beitar Jerusalem refused the offer.

There were also racist posters, chants and clashes, but these were all swept away with empty words about how only a tiny handful of the club's fans were responsible. The club always found a public official or police officer to say that a majority of Beitar Jerusalem fans rejected racism.

This ploy stank, literally. It was meant to assuage the concerns of the club's level-headed fans, as well as outside observers. Mostly, however, it was directed toward soccer's governing bodies, which have the authority to punish clubs for fan behavior.

Now, with the signing of the two Muslim players from Chechnya, the racism is out of the closet, with Beitar Jerusalem fans not hesitating to say what is in their hearts and some of them allegedly taking matters into their own hands by setting the club's compound on fire.

We must hope that police conduct a proper investigation and bring the arson culprits to justice. But more important is what Beitar Jerusalem's management and coaching staff do. They will be presented with an opportunity on Sunday evening when Beitar Jerusalem hosts a match against Bnei Sakhnin, an Israeli Arab club. If Beitar Jerusalem were to include at least one of its two Muslim players in the starting lineup and also insert the other into the game later on, this would be an effective response to fan racism. There would be no better way for Beitar Jerusalem to defy hooligan fans who have brought such harm to the club.

If Beitar Jerusalem puts the Chechen players on the field, and if these players excel on the field in future games, Beitar Jerusalem fans will get used to cheering for them just like any other of the club's stars. Until now, the signing of the Chechen players has caused a deep and painful rift. But if the heads of Beitar Jerusalem show courage and patience, something sweet could emerge, if in the foreseeable future the club's fans, wearing their yellow scarves adorned with menorahs are able to root for Muslim players and chant together, without religious, racial or gender distinction: "Let's go, Beitar, let's go!"