Ireland team to wear black armbands as players vote to go ahead with Israel game

Ireland Players to Wear Black Armbands in Israel Nations League Match

The Republic of Ireland football team will wear black armbands when they face Israel in Sunday’s Nations League match in Hungary, amid calls to boycott the fixture over the war in Gaza.

The controversy surrounding the game has intensified in recent weeks, with a “Stop The Game” petition organised by the Irish Sport for Palestine group gaining support.

Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive David Courell said before the match that the players would wear black armbands “in recognition of all lives lost in the conflict”. He also confirmed that the fixture would proceed following several hours of discussions and a vote among the squad.

Courell said a “significant majority” of the players had voted in favour of playing. He added that Republic of Ireland players would not take part in some elements of the pre-match ceremony.

The Israeli Football Association welcomed the decision, praising the FAI and the Irish squad and saying: “Football has won.”

In its statement, the Israeli FA said the separation between football and politics should be maintained and described the Irish players’ decision as the right one.

Bazunu withdraws from fixture

Courell also confirmed that one player had expressed discomfort about taking part in the match and intended to withdraw.

Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu later announced on Instagram that he would not play, citing his personal belief that “the killing of innocent people is wrong”.

Bazunu said the decision had not been taken lightly and referred to his faith and personal principles. He stressed that his position was not directed against Israeli people or the Jewish community, but against what he described as atrocities in the region.

Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson said Bazunu’s decision had affected the squad, describing the situation as one in which “you can’t win”.

He said nobody within the team was comfortable with the circumstances and that the squad was dealing with a “unique and a new balance” as it sought to handle the situation.