Ireland players decline handshakes before 3-0 win over Israel
publishers 24articles 36first reported 24 Sep, 14:36 UTCdeveloping since 24 Sep · 8 editions
Republic of Ireland players declined to shake hands with Israel’s players and wore black armbands before their UEFA Nations League match on Sunday, amid calls for Ireland to boycott the fixture over the war in Gaza. Ireland won 3-0 at an almost empty stadium in Hungary.
Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the Ireland squad before the match. CNN reported that the remaining players voted to proceed with the games against Israel after discussing their positions. A pre-match news conference and training session were delayed while the players met at their hotel.
The boycott campaign was organized by Irish Sport for Palestine and supported by figures including former Ireland manager Brian Kerr and former international James McClean. After Ireland’s earlier 1-0 defeat by Kosovo, midfielder Jason Knight said he did not think the Israel game should go ahead, while winger Chiedozie Ogbene urged the public not to place responsibility for the decision on players.
The teams are also scheduled to meet in a return fixture in Backa Topola, Serbia, on October 4. The controversy has followed the fixtures since Ireland and Israel were drawn together in Nations League Group B3.
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Written from 8 articles, 3 with the publisher's own text; 7 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 17 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
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