Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has confirmed he will not feature for the Republic of Ireland in their UEFA Nations League fixture against Israel on Sunday. The match will take place at a neutral venue in Hungary.
The fixture had been cast into doubt on Saturday when Ireland delayed both their pre-match training session and press conference. It then emerged that players were considering a boycott of the match following calls for them to do so amid the backdrop of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A statement later confirmed that Sunday's game would take place, but Bazunu has decided against participating.
Bazunu's statement
Bazunu condemned the ongoing conflict in a personal statement, saying: "Representing my country means everything to me. I have the utmost respect for every single one of my team-mates, the Manager, his staff and the Irish people."
He continued: "However I have reached a decision that I have not taken lightly. I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle therefore I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel."
"My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong. It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition of the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region."
"There are few times where you get a chance in life to stand up for something bigger and I strongly believe that this is one of them."
Background and FAI response
Bazunu did not join the Republic of Ireland team for training on Saturday afternoon. A UN-commissioned inquiry previously found that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in war-torn Gaza. More than 73,000 people have been killed after Israeli military action was launched in response to the Hamas attack on the Nova Festival in southern Israel of October 7 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) confirmed Sunday's game would go ahead following a vote between Ireland's players over whether to fulfil the fixture. "The association made this decision following consultation with the Republic of Ireland players who shared different views and a majority expressed that the fixtures should be played," the FAI's statement read. "The association respects the views of all players involved and appreciates the level of sensitivity concerning these fixtures."
