Irish goalkeeper opts out of game against Israel, Ireland's team postpones training - report
The Irish national team staff tried to solve the disputes with the players before their flight to Hungary, where the match is being played, but reached no agreement.
Ireland's second-choice goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu announced he will not participate in the match against Israel on Sunday, according to the Irish Independent. The Irish national soccer team has also postponed its final pre-match training due to a conflict involving criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza. At least five players have refused to play against Israel, expressing discomfort over the off-field dispute.
A press conference scheduled before the training was suspended until further notice. The Irish Football Association may face further fines from UEFA if it decides to cancel the training and press conference. The conflict began when Ireland's manager, Heimir Hallgrimsson, described the match as "not playing with genocide," leading to an Israeli response.
Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin defended Hallgrimsson, calling Israel's comments "unacceptable." Captain Dara O Shea stated that the players will discuss their stance on the Israel match during a group meeting on Friday.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
