Republic of Ireland players intend to wear black armbands “in recognition of all lives lost in the [Gaza] conflict” for Sunday’s Nations League game against Israel in Hungary, after confirming they will go ahead with the fixture. Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive David Courell confirmed one player has withdrawn from the squad before the match. But he added that a vote among the squad produced a “significant majority” in favour of playing. As well as the intention to wear black armbands for Sunday’s ‘away’ game against Israel in Debrecen, Courell said the players will make further gestures for the initial game and the return ‘home’ fixture against Israel next Sunday in Serbia.
The fixtures have been embroiled in controversy since the two teams were drawn to play each other in Group B3. Republic of Ireland players faced calls to withdraw from the games because of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war with a “Stop The Game” campaign – organised by the pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine – gathering pace. “One of their requests is to remove their media obligations for the remainder of this window,” Courell said at Saturday’s delayed news conference. “They also have the intention to wear black armbands in recognition of all lives lost in the [Gaza] conflict.
“There will be elements of the pre-match ceremony not be partaken in by the Republic of Ireland and it is also the intention of the players to make a significant contribution to charitable donation by virtue of both [Israel] match fees and also the fixture against Austria at the Aviva [Stadium in Dublin on Thursday].” There appeared to be real doubt on Saturday morning whether the fixture would take place. A pre-match news conference with manager Heimir Hallgrimsson and a player, scheduled for 09:15 BST, was postponed just 15 minutes before it was scheduled to start, with reporters informed it would instead take place after the team’s training session which was also delayed. The players were locked in a meeting back at their hotel after it emerged a player, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, withdrew from the game in protest with several other expressing their concerns about fielding. About 13:00, players began to filter out of the meeting room, with it then confirmed the news conference would indeed go ahead, back at Nagyerdei Stadion at 14:30, with training to follow.
More than five hours after the initial news conference was scheduled to begin, Courell – flanked by Hallgrimsson and FAI director of football John Martin – confirmed a players’ vote passed by a “significant majority” to play the game. “This morning, a player expressed their discomfort at the fixture and indicated their intent to withdraw,” Courell said. “This new variable required time for the rest of the squad to consider and what proceeded was another four hours of conversations, predominantly among the players, but also at times with coaching staff and the [FAI] executive. “There were a lot of positions presented and the association is fully respectful of everyone’s right to their respective opinion.” Later on Saturday, Bazunu posted on social media explaining his decision, one that he said he had “not taken lightly”.
“I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle, therefore I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel,” he said. “My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong. “It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition of the Israel people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region. “There are few times when you get a chance in life to stand up for something bigger and I strongly believe that this is one of them.” Neutral venues and no ‘away’ fans – how Israel v Republic of Ireland became so contentious Republic of Ireland squad will meet to discuss Israel games Former Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr and ex-international James McClean are among those to have backed calls for a boycott of the fixtures.
The armed Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel on 7 October 2023, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza, during which more than 73,000 people have been killed, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations. Hallgrimsson relayed that nobody “can understand the pressure that has been going on these players” and said the lengthy meeting on Saturday stemmed from “a change of mind for one of the players to play the game”. “All of the rest of the players are training today,” he confirmed.
“The balance [to play] changed with this [withdrawal] and obviously it was an ongoing discussion but we came to a conclusion and the game is going ahead. “We will train and there will probably be more discussions tonight and probably tomorrow. It’s a unique situation and we are just trying to limit the damage.” The Republic of Ireland lost their opening Nations League fixture in Kosovo on Thursday, a match overshadowed in the build-up by the Israel games. Asked whether the far from ideal preparation for Sunday’s game would affect the players, the Irish boss said “we will see”.
“Nobody is comfortable but it’s about limiting the damage, both personally and for Irish football, that we need to find some solution on it,” Hallgrimsson added. “There is no action we do that everyone will agree to, so we need to find a solution to limit the damage for us as a group, for Ireland as a nation and the association for football in Ireland. “We don’t know the consequences if we don’t play the game but a lot of players share a common feeling, so there are two choices and both are tough. It’s a situation you can’t win.” A spokesperson for the Irish governement insists any decision regarding the fixtures lie firmly at the door of the FAI and Uefa.
“The FAI had decided to play the fixtures against Israel in accordance with their obligations as members of Uefa. Following engagement with players today decision stands,” they said. “The FAI has strongly represented the views of its membership that Israel should be excluded from international football competitions, including bringing a motion to Uefa to this effect last year. The reality is that this motion was not passed by Uefa and that the FAI was obliged to fulfil the fixture.” Israel Football Association [IFA] head of communications Shlomi Barzel commended the Republic of Ireland team for confirming they will play, saying “football has won”.
Barzel began Israel’s news conference with a statement before requesting questions regarding the game-only were directed towards captain Dor Peretz and head coach Ran Ben-Shimon who remained on script. “The separation between football and politics must be maintained, any other approach spell chaos,” he said, confirming Israel players intend to shake hands before the game. “The Irish football association [FAI] and the national team players did he right thing by recognising this, even if it took a bit longer than it should. Yet, it is better to be late than never.
“The one who certainly lost today are those who want to intimidate to separate and turn the football pitch into a political arena. Uefa, the IFA [Israel Football and the FAI stood strong together to prevent it.” Barzel also confirmed the IFA intend to appeal both yellow cards shown to Sayed Abu Farhi in Thursday’s 3-1 defeat by Austria. Abu Farhi was shown a second yellow for his goal celebration which Barzel insists was not mimicking the firing of a gun, but an “imitation of a snooker player, like the legendary Ken Doherty.”
