Gavin Bazunu has confirmed to Republic of Ireland officials that he does not want to play in Sunday's Nations League match against Israel, and more teammates could follow his lead.
The Bolton Wanderers goalkeeper, second choice for his country, informed the management team of his decision on Friday, according to the Telegraph. His teammates are now weighing up their options, and it is thought others could take the same path, throwing the fixture into major doubt.
Calls for a boycott intensify
There have been increasingly vocal calls for Ireland to boycott the match, set against the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A UN-commissioned inquiry previously found that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians in Gaza. More than 73,000 people have been killed since Israeli military action began in response to the Hamas attack on the Nova Festival in southern Israel on October 7 2023, which killed approximately 1,200 people.
An open letter from more than 160 Irish athletes urged the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) to withdraw from the fixture, and protests were held outside the team's hotel in Dublin earlier this week. Ireland's players were expected to issue a statement at Saturday morning's pre-match press conference, but that was cancelled and rearranged minutes before the scheduled time, with no reason offered.
FAI's previous stance
Last year, the FAI voted to submit a motion to UEFA that would have seen Israel banned from club and international competitions. The FAI cited two alleged violations of UEFA rules, including organising clubs in occupied Palestine without the permission of the Palestinian FA and failing to enforce an effective anti-racism policy.
Ireland captain Dara O'Shea made clear it was important that the opinions of all players were heard in the build-up. He said: "We've got to respect each other's opinions and each other's views and really sit down and take the time, because it deserves the time to talk about. It's the main thing and it's something that can't be brushed over. Whatever decision that we go through as players is taken as one and everybody's view is respected as well."
Manager's comments spark response
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson elicited a response from the Israeli FA earlier this week when he said "we are not playing with genocide. We are playing against genocide. We are playing against Israel; we are not playing with Israel."
In response, the Israeli FA issued a statement which read: "We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way. Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by the @IrelandFootball team coach. We're not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, we're playing against the coach who embodies them."
Israel are currently prohibited from playing games at home due to security concerns, with this weekend's match scheduled to take place in Hungary. The return fixture will also be played on neutral ground, in Serbia, amid opposition to the game taking place.
