More than 160 Irish athletes are calling on the country's national team to boycott matches against Israel in the Nations League

More than 160 Irish athletes have called on the country's national team to boycott matches with Israel in the Nations League. Reuters reports this.

It is noted that the athletes of the European country signed an open letter in which they called on the national team players to refuse to take the field with the Israelis. Ireland are due to play Israel in the Nations League group stage twice - on September 27 in Hungary and October 4 in Serbia.

“This is an important moment and you have an opportunity to do the right thing. Refusing to participate in the match would be the most sporting thing you could do,” the letter reads. Among the signatories are boxers Tyrone McKenna and Eric Donovan, former rugby player Tony Ward, athlete Ciara Magian and others.

The demands for a sports boycott are based on complaints about Israeli actions in the Gaza Strip and the Palestinian territories. Critics of the Israeli authorities point to widespread civilian casualties and destruction, restrictions on humanitarian assistance, and the decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories; International institutions are considering allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and the Genocide Convention.