Ireland to wear black armbands against Israel as goalkeeper Bazunu withdraws
Ireland's football team will wear black armbands during Sunday's Nations League match against Israel after players voted to proceed with the fixture despite boycott calls. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu announced he will not take part, citing personal principles.
The Republic of Ireland football team will wear black armbands when they face Israel in Sunday's Nations League match in Hungary, following weeks of controversy and calls to boycott the fixture over the war in Gaza.
Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive David Courell confirmed the match would go ahead after hours of talks and a squad vote, in which a significant majority backed playing. He said the armbands would recognise all lives lost in the conflict, and that the Irish team would skip certain elements of the pre-match ceremony.
Goalkeeper withdraws
Courell said one player had expressed discomfort with the fixture and intended to withdraw. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu confirmed on Instagram on Saturday that he would not play, citing his belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong. He said the decision was not taken lightly and stressed his stance was not against the Israeli people or the Jewish community, but against the atrocities in the region.
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson described the situation as one nobody could win, noting that it affects the whole squad and that no one currently feels comfortable.
The Israeli Football Association welcomed the decision, commending the FAI and the Irish players and stating that football and politics must remain separate to avoid chaos and damage to the game.
