Ireland goalkeeper Bazunu boycotts Israel international matches

Ireland's national soccer goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu is boycotting the international matches against Israel in the Nations League for political reasons. "I made a decision that was not easy for me. I am a deeply religious man and I try my best to be a person of character and principles; therefore, I believe it is wrong to take part in the upcoming encounters with Israel," the 24-year-old shared on Instagram.

On Saturday, after long internal discussions, Ireland's national team decided against a boycott of the two Nations League duels with Israel. The Irish Football Association said a majority of players were in favor of playing the games. Both matches take place on neutral ground. The first leg takes place on Sunday evening (8.45 p.m.) in Debrecen, Hungary, the second leg on October 4th in Serbia.

The background to the debate about whether to host the event is Israel's role in the Gaza conflict. “My decision is based solely on my personal belief that killing innocent people is wrong,” wrote Bazunu, who was born in Dublin to a Nigerian father and an Irish mother: “There are few opportunities in life to stand up for something greater and I firmly believe that this is one of them.”

At the same time, the goalkeeper of the English second division team Bolton Wanderers reiterated: “It is important to note that my stance is not directed against the Israeli people or the Jewish community, but against the atrocities in the region.”

In Ireland there had been protests against the duels with Israel since the draw. “There is enormous support for Palestine in Ireland – probably the largest in Europe,” said Ireland Icelandic coach Heimir Hallgrimsson.

He felt “how this pressure was growing day by day, and now it is almost approaching a breaking point.” The team therefore discussed a possible boycott for a long time on Saturday, but ultimately decided against it - with the exception of Bazunu. So far, Bazunu has not attracted attention for any religious posts or content on social media.

According to Ireland's chief executive, David Courell, Irish players will wear black armbands at tonight's game "to commemorate all those who lost their lives in this conflict". In addition, “there will be parts of the pre-game ceremony that you will not participate in,” Courell announced.