Republic of Ireland to play Israel in Hungary after player vote, goalkeeper Bazunu withdraws in protest

The Republic of Ireland will fulfil their fixture against Israel in Hungary on Sunday night, but only after lengthy deliberations between the players resulted in a “significant majority” voting to play. The Bolton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu, however, will not be involved, after pulling out in protest.

After a week in which the Irish team and officials have come under increasing domestic pressure to boycott the match due to Israel’s military actions in Gaza, training was delayed by five hours on Saturday while the squad discussed whether to go ahead.

“This morning, a player expressed their discomfort with fulfilling this fixture to the head coach and indicated their intent to withdraw from the squad,” said the FAI’s chief David Courell, referring to Bazunu.

“What proceeded was another four hours of conversations, predominantly amongst the players themselves, but also at times with the coaching staff and the executive. Ultimately we carried out a vote amongst the squad ... and it was a significant majority that was returned with the intention to continue.”

Courell said the squad had also agreed a number of measures to signal their unease with the fixture taking place. Players are to wear black armbands “in recognition of all the lives lost in the conflict” he said, adding that there will be “elements of the pre-match ceremony” that will “not be partaken in by the Republic of Ireland” players, namely the pre-match handshake and exchange of pennants.

Bazunu, writing on Instagram, said: “Representing my country means everything to me. I have the utmost respect for every single one of my teammates, the manager, his staff, and the Irish people.

“However, I have reached a decision that I have not taken lightly. I am a man of strong faith, and try my best to be a person of character and principle, therefore I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel.

“My decision is based purely on my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong. It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition of the Israeli people or the Jewish community, but against the atrocities in the region.

“There are a few times where you get a chance in life to stand up for something bigger, and I strongly believe that this is one of them.”

The Republic’s head coach, Heimir Hallgrímsson, meanwhile, said “nobody is comfortable playing these games for many reasons” as he was once again put under pressure over remarks in which he described his team as “playing against genocide” earlier this week.

Hallgrímsson said he had used a “strong” word and now regretted it. “It was a wrong word for me to use,” he said, arguing that he had meant to say that “by playing we are not accepting what is happening”. If a player chooses to play in the fixture “he is not supporting or agreeing with anything in Gaza” Hallgrímsson said. “We are not playing with that word, we are playing against it.”

The leadership of the Israel team used their press conference to read a statement congratulating Ireland on their decision to play. “What we have seen today is that football has won,” it read. “The separation between football and politics must continue. Anything else spells chaos and creates consequences for the game we love. The Irish took the right decision in agreeing to this. Even if it took longer than it should, it was welcome.”

Israeli officials said they would engage in all of the pre-match formalities with the head coach Ran Ben-Shimon confirming: “I will shake hands with Hallgrímsson.”

The Israel FA will also appeal both yellow cards awarded to Saied Abu Farchi during Thursday’s defeat to Austria. Farchi was given a second yellow after he celebrated scoring an equaliser by uprooting the corner flag, an action interpreted by officials as mimicking the firing of a rifle.

Israel dispute this interpretation. “Anyone familiar with him knows it was an imitation of a snooker player, like the legendary Ken Doherty,” their spokesperson said.