Pro shooter fires off lawsuit over Shabbat event
Israeli Shooting Federation says it can’t reschedule championship to accommodate Orthodox finalist Avishai Brett
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A professional air gun shooter sued Israel’s shooting federation over its refusal to move its championship competition from Shabbat, Israel Army Radio reported Tuesday.
Avishai Brett, a traditionally observant competitor in Israel’s air gun league, has advanced to the sport’s national finals to take place on Saturday, July 11. However, his observance of the traditional day of rest would prevent him from competing.
He and his lawyer filed a petition at a special Israeli court for sports arbitration, requesting the competition be moved to another day.
Brett said his complaints were met with reciprocal accusations by the federation. “According to their argument, the fact I am trying to move the competition to another day of the week is itself religious coercion,” he told Army Radio. “It seems to me that the Israeli championships, in order to truly be open to all Israelis, cannot take place on Shabbat, which prevents the entire public of Shabbat-observers from competing.”
Brett’s lawyer, Aviad Hacohen, called the case a “very severe violation of equal opportunity” and of religious freedom.” Brett is being prevented “from competing on equal footing because of his observance of Jewish law and observance of Shabbat,” Hacohen told Army Radio.
Ayal Yafeh, the attorney for the Israel Shooting Federation, said it was not possible logistically to reschedule the final. “We have an appeal in front of us that is trying to overturn the order of things that has stood in the Israeli sport for decades, to force the shooting federation to try and reorganize a competition for the middle of the week when the federation cannot recruit and bring volunteers or referees.”
The issue has received political attention as well, with MK Yoel Razvozov of the centrist Yesh Atid backing the shooter and calling the matter a “substantial violation of the freedom of religion in Israeli sports.” He requested the case be discussed by the Knesset’s Committee for Education, Culture and Sport.
The appeal is not the first of its kind for Israeli sports. In 2008, Israeli fencer Yuval Freilich successfully sued the Israel Fencing Association for holding competitions on Shabbat, though the tradition of Saturday events has reportedly returned.
The Times of Israel Community.