Why Israel v Ireland will go ahead despite boycott threats | OneFootball

Ireland will face Israel in the Nations League in Debrecen on Sunday at 20:45 after a prolonged internal debate over a boycott. According to L'Équipe, confirmation only came at 15:30 when an Irish federation official approved the game following delays to training and media duties.

On Thursday in Pristina, after a 0-1 defeat by Kosovo, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu told team-mates he would not play Israel, with several colleagues said to have echoed him. The issue had simmered since the February draw, and the return fixture has been moved to Serbia on four October for security reasons.

On Saturday the squad voted by a large majority to go ahead. Heimir Hallgrimsson accepted no one felt comfortable, and that the potential severity of any UEFA sanction in the event of a boycott weighed on deliberations.

At the pre-match briefing in Debrecen, Hallgrimsson fielded questions about the seven October attack and historical comparisons, underlining the charged context. Bazunu is standing by his decision and later set out on Instagram that his stance was based on a personal belief about the killing of innocents, not directed at Israelis or Jewish people.

The Israeli federation welcomed the outcome as football prevailing. Ireland will wear black armbands in tribute to conflict victims. Public broadcaster RTÉ will show the match with minimal coverage to meet its contractual obligations.

Source: L'Équipe

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