Shimon Mizrahi

Shimon Mizrahi (born October 16, 1939, Tel Aviv) is an Israeli lawyer and the chairman of the Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club.

Professional career

Mizrahi is the senior partner in the B. Arnon - S. Mizrahi law office and specializes in traffic violation cases.

Shimon Mizrahi was appointed chairman of Maccabi in 1969, in the wake of the club's financial problems. He introduced various strategies to rescue Maccabi from bankruptcy, such as selling tickets for Maccabi games, which had previously been free. Mizrahi realized that in order to secure Maccabi's dominance in the Israeli league, it would have to sign American players. Since he became chairman in 1969 Maccabi has won the Israeli championship in all but four years (1992/93, 2007/08, 2009/10 and 2012/13 seasons). Maccabi has also won six European cup titles (1977, 1981, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2014).

Mizrahi was accused by his rivals of failing to make the Israeli league more competitive with plans such as payment limits. However, Mizrahi agreed to several laws which were meant to weaken Maccabi, such as the Brisker Rule, which limits the number of foreign players every team can sign, the Final Four playoff system instead of a best-of-five playoff system, and more.

Awards and accolades

• In 2007, Mizrahi was chosen by Time magazine as one of 50 best sport managers in the world.
• In 2011, he was awarded the Israel Prize for sports, for his long-time contribution for Maccabi Tel Aviv. Although this award was contested, it was upheld by the Israel High Court of Justice.

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עו"ד שמעון מזרחי – ספורט ותרבות הגוף

שמעון מזרחי מנהל ארבעים ושתיים שנה את מועדון הכדורסל ב'מכבי תל-אביב' – מועדון הספורט המצליח בתולדות המדינה – ומצעיד אותו להישגים רבים בזירה המקומית ובזירה הבין-לאומית. בימי ניהולו זכתה קבוצת 'מכבי תל-אביב' בכל תואר בתחום, ונעשתה למופת מבחינת ניהולה בעבור קבוצות וארגוני ספורט בישראל ובעולם. מעמדו הבין-לאומי של מזרחי סייע בקידום הכדורסל הישראלי בעולם, ותרם לקידום הספורט הישראלי כולו. 'מכבי תל-אביב' בהנהלת מזרחי שמה דגש על מצוינות ספורטיבית, על טיפוח ספורטאים צעירים וקידומם ועל פעילות קהילתית מגוונת.

שמעון מזרחי מתגורר כעת בבנימינה; אב למיכל ולשי המשמש עורך דין במשרדו; וסב לחמישה נכדים.