The scenes that should have been about Hapoel Tel Aviv's progress to a European play-off instead turned ugly on Wednesday night, after several GKS Katowice supporters were filmed making what appeared to be Nazi salutes directed at the away section following the final whistle in Poland.
ONE reports that the gestures were captured on video and quickly circulated on social media, drawing condemnation as they spread. Multiple international outlets, including Fox News and the Algemeiner, picked up the footage within a day of the match.
The incident capped a bruising European night on the pitch as well. Katowice, roared on by their home crowd, beat Hapoel Tel Aviv 2-1 in the second leg of the Conference League qualifying tie — but it was not enough. Hapoel had won the first leg 2-0 in Tel Aviv and went through 3-2 on aggregate, eliminating the Polish side despite the defeat on the night.
UEFA confirmed it is aware of the footage. The governing body said in a statement that the supporters' conduct is "currently being reviewed," though no disciplinary case or charge against GKS Katowice had been formally opened at the time of reporting.
GKS Katowice itself had made no public comment on its fans' behaviour as of Friday, leaving the club silent on an episode that risks overshadowing what was, on the field, a spirited fight to the finish against the Israeli side.
For Hapoel Tel Aviv, the aggregate win sends them into the Conference League play-off round against Italian side Atalanta. The first leg is scheduled for August 20 in Bergamo, with the return leg set for August 27 at a neutral venue, the DVTK Stadium in Miskolc, Hungary.
The club's supporters travelled to Poland in reasonable numbers to back the team through the tie, and Wednesday's result marks another step in a European run that has already carried Hapoel Tel Aviv past Ludogorets and into increasingly testing continental company.
UEFA's review of the Katowice incident will be watched closely by the Israel Football Association and by Hapoel Tel Aviv, who will hope any findings are made public and acted on before their play-off tie with Atalanta gets under way next week.
