Pogon Szczecin owner Alex Haditaghi rejected transfer talks with Maccabi Tel Aviv for defenders Dimitris Keramitsis and Leo Borges, citing ethical objections. The Pogon Maccabi Transfer discussions have been a topic of debate among fans.
Haditaghi announced the decision on X and published a letter addressed to the Israeli club’s president regarding the Pogon Maccabi Transfer issue.
He said football should represent “hope, respect, unity and humanity” and should stand above politics, borders and divisions. In fact, for many supporters, the Maccabi-Pogon Transfer episode has brought new focus on the role of ethics in sport.
However, Haditaghi said civilian suffering in Gaza, Lebanon, Iran and the wider region made it inappropriate for Pogon to conduct business with an Israeli club. Nevertheless, the scenario remains significant in current football news.
He wrote that he did not believe a transfer deal with a club representing Israel would be morally right at this time. This stance on the possible transfer of Pogon and Maccabi players marked a critical line for the club’s ethics.
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Haditaghi said his responsibility went beyond Pogon’s financial interests and included protecting values, principles and humanity. That decision continued to shape the media narrative around Pogon Maccabi Transfer.
He also compared the decision to refusing business with a sports club representing Nazi Germany, saying he had to apply the same moral standard. The transfer case became a symbol for these broader considerations.
“There are moments when ethics must be stronger than profit and money,” Haditaghi wrote. The offers involved Keramitsis and Borges. Their Pogon contracts run until 2029 and 2027, respectively.
