The Story The Maccabi fan ban scandal explained - and what next for the police
Jan 15, 2026
Gabriel Pogrund, Whitehall editor at The Sunday Times and investigative journalist, unpacks the controversial ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from an Aston Villa match. He discusses the failures of West Midlands Police and the damning Cooke report, revealing the questionable intelligence used to justify the ban. Gabriel also contrasts police transparency in the Netherlands with that of his own country, examines political fallout, and raises important questions about the intersection of policing and politics in this scandal.
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Fabricated Intelligence Undermined Decision
- West Midlands Police used exaggerated or fabricated intelligence to justify banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans.
- The Home Secretary withdrew confidence in the chief constable and pledged to restore her power to remove chiefs for serious failures.
Leak Of The Written Intelligence
- Gabriel Pogrund leaked the written intelligence presented at the third safety advisory meeting.
- He found obvious falsehoods that drew him into investigating the decision further.
Implausible Claims Raised Red Flags
- The document included implausible claims like fans throwing civilians into a river in Amsterdam.
- Many details were inconsistent with Dutch police records and common sense.