Ireland’s game against Israel has been plunged into chaos with back-up goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu reportedly refusing to play in the Nations League match.
Sunday’s game in Debrecen, Hungary, has been clouded by uncertainty after Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson said his team are ‘playing against genocide’ amid Israel’s attacks on Palestine, with more than 70,000 people have been killed since the war in Gaza began.
Hallgrimsson’s comments sparked an angry backlash from Israeli officials, but there have been growing calls for the game to be scrapped – with a petition attracting over 17,000 signatures.
Now, the Irish Independent reports that Bazunu has informed bosses that he does not wish to play in the European fixture – and his team-mates could follow suit.
It is reported that Bazunu communicated his view to the FAI this morning, and that training has been delayed.
Ireland are due to play Israel twice in the Nations League during this international break with both games played at neutral venues. It remains to be seen whether Israel would be awarded the full six points in the events that Ireland boycotts both fixtures.
Hallgrimsson was set to front the media for the first time since telling reporters last weekend: ‘We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. So, we’re playing against Israel. We’re not playing with Israel.’
Gavin Bazunu is reportedly refusing to play for Ireland against Israel, throwing Sunday’s game into doubt
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson came under fire from the Israel FA for saying his team will be ‘playing against genocide’
The Israeli FA angrily took to social media on Monday to hit back at Hallgrimsson’s comments, meanwhile, when he used the word ‘genocide’ in previewing the upcoming fixtures.
As reports circulated that the Israelis were considering a complaint to UEFA, the Israeli FA posted on X on Monday night: ‘We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way,’ the post on X stated.
‘Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by the Republic of Ireland team coach.
‘We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, we’re playing against the coach who embodies them.’
Israel were criticised following their first game of the international break, too, which saw them lose 3-1 against Austria.
Sayed Abu Farchi was sent off in the second-half of his side’s defeat, having taken the corner flag out the ground and mimicked a gunshot, though others have suggested he could have been imitating a snooker shot.
Israel’s Sayed Abu Farchi was sent off on Thursday after mimicking a gunshot following a goal
Fans were left stunned and judged the move to be in bad taste. Abu Farchi protested with Bulgarian official Georgi Kabakov at the time, insisting he should have stayed on the field.
But he was already on a yellow card, and Kabakov opted to show him a second booking, resulting in his dismissal.
Israel manager Ran Ben-Shimon leapt to the defence of the Colorado Rapids midfielder after the game, insisting the celebration is regularly carried out by Abu Farchi without punishment.
‘I’ve seen it before and everyone can check,’ said Ben-Shimon. ‘When this young player scores, in the Israeli national team or the MLS or anywhere he plays, he celebrates in the same situation again and again and he never gets a yellow card about it.
‘He didn’t know about it, this is his way to celebrate every goal he scores. He’s a young player, I’m sure this lesson will stay with him a long time, he made a mistake.’
UEFA rules, meanwhile, suggest the referee was right to show a second yellow card.
They say a player must be booked for ‘gesturing or acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way’. Removing the corner flag is also yellow card worthy.
