Ireland players refuse handshakes with Israel, bow heads during anthem

Republic of Ireland players declined to shingle hands with their Israeli counterparts and bowed their heads during Israel’s nationalist anthem before Sunday’s UEFA Nations League lucifer successful Hungary.

The Irish squad besides did not speech pennants with Israel earlier kick-off, successful a pre-match motion that came amid contention surrounding the fixture and the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.

Ireland went connected to triumph the lucifer 3-0.

Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson said the players’ actions had drawn planetary attraction to the conflict.

“I anticipation that volition not beryllium successful the adjacent crippled due to the fact that they person shown enactment for the protest, they person raised consciousness worldwide, not lone successful Ireland, connected the subject,” Hallgrimsson told RTÉ.

The players had held a lengthy gathering astatine their edifice successful Debrecen on Saturday before voting by a important bulk to play the fixture.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu subsequently withdrew from the squad, saying helium believed it would beryllium incorrect for him to enactment successful the lucifer and the instrumentality fixture scheduled for 4 October in Backa Topola, Serbia.

Hallgrimsson said...