Over 400,000 NIS: Hapoel Osishkin’s Debt to Tel Aviv University
Outstanding Debts Highlighted in Recent Letter
In a letter sent to appointed lawyers Liza Hadad and Uri Gaon, the special administrators of the Hapoel Osishkin Sports Association in Tel Aviv, it was emphasized that the association currently owes over 400,000 NIS to the sports center at Tel Aviv University. This debt is a result of a tripartite agreement established between Hapoel Osishkin, the sports center, and the Israel Sports Association in Tel Aviv, which facilitated the transfer of management for handball and water polo teams to Hapoel Osishkin beginning September 1, 2024.
Agreement Extensions and Financial Obligations
The initial agreement was supplemented by an addendum on August 14, 2024, broadening Hapoel Osishkin’s activities to include artistic gymnastics, navigation, and chess. This extension includes a commitment to rent additional facilities at the sports center for these activities. According to Roni Goldstein, CEO of the Sports Center, as of the date of the letter, the accumulated debt for facility rentals totals 403,132.93 NIS plus VAT, covering the period that ended on March 31, 2025.
From April 2025 onwards, the monthly rental costs are set at 41,500 NIS for the water polo department and 31,132.7 NIS for the gymnastics and handball departments. Hapoel Osishkin had agreed, per the contracts, to make monthly payments in advance at the beginning of each month; however, these debts remain unsettled.
Additional Financial Responsibilities
Additionally, Goldstein’s letter outlines that Hapoel Osishkin committed to contributing to the salaries of the sports center’s employees and is also responsible for purchasing a laptop used by staff for activities with Hapoel. Furthermore, Hapoel was obligated to pay a start-time fee of 5,000 NIS to reimburse expenses related to chess and navigation activities. Currently, there is an outstanding debt of 42,904 NIS owed to the club, excluding adjustments for linkage and interest, which has yet to be paid.
Warning of Potential Consequences
The letter also included a warning that, unless the debt is settled by the end of June 2025, the association will be unable to continue operating its sports teams within the sports center’s facilities for the upcoming seasons, including summer camps. The management of the sports center indicated that this request for debt settlement is significant; failure to comply may result in legal actions as prescribed by law