West Midlands Police Chief Defends Maccabi Tel Aviv Fan Ban Amid Criticism

West Midlands Police defended their decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from attending the November Europa League match against Aston Villa, citing safety concerns based on intelligence and previous incidents involving violent clashes. The Birmingham Safety Advisory Group (SAG), responsible for match safety certification, supported the ban, which was met with criticism from UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and other politicians. Despite the government offering to fund any necessary policing to allow Maccabi fans to attend, the Israeli club declined their ticket allocation, citing a "toxic atmosphere" and safety fears. Chief Constable Craig Guildford emphasized that the decision was made with a grounded understanding of the risk and was intended to keep everyone safe, rejecting suggestions that the force had failed the community. The risk assessment, which has not been publicly released, reportedly indicated that extremist fans of the Israeli club posed the biggest threat of violence. Aston Villa adjusted their ticketing policy to restrict sales to supporters with a prior purchase history, and the Safety Advisory Group remains open to reviewing the ban if the risk assessment changes.