Over 160 Irish Sportspeople Urge Team to Boycott Israel Fixtures
The open letter says the FAI, UEFA and the government should have refused the fixtures, while the squad weighs its own response.
- On Monday, over 160 Irish sportspeople signed an open letter urging the Irish senior men's national football team to boycott upcoming UEFA Nations League games against Israel, calling on players to "act collectively with conscience."
- Signatories argue that playing Israel legitimises a genocidal regime and ignores statute breaches regarding occupied Palestinian lands; they assert the Football Association of Ireland , UEFA, and the Irish government should have refused on legal, moral, and political grounds.
- Notable figures supporting the initiative include Olympian Ciara Mageean, former rugby international Tony Ward, and soccer player Louise Quinn. The letter states, "Not playing the game would be the most sporting thing you could do."
- Director of Football John Martin urged critics not to blame the squad, stating, "People like me and David Courell made this decision, not the players." He acknowledged squad members are "really uncomfortable playing the games."
- The Irish team faces Israel on September 27 in Debrecen, Hungary, and October 4 in Serbia, while the FAI continues lobbying UEFA to ban Israel from international competitions rather than acting unilaterally.
175 Articles
175 Articles
For months in Ireland we have been discussing the possibility of boycotting the two games of Nations League against Israel. The country demands it, but players have decided to play after 4 hours of meeting
The parties between Ireland and Israel by the Nations League of Europe are still surrounded by controversy due to the war in Gaza.
Two games of Nation League, both will be played in the neutral field due to concerns about possible security problems. In Ireland there is strong support for the Palestinian cause
The games will take place on neutral ground because of the political tensions between Ireland and Israel. Although a boycott is off the table, the Irish want to wear mourning florets and renounce handshakes.
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