Ireland proceeds with Nations League match after two player votes, Bazunu withdraws

sportsSep 27, 202653918

The Republic of Ireland will fulfil their Nations League fixture against Israel in Hungary after a “significant majority” of the squad voted to play, the Football Association of Ireland said. Training was delayed by five hours on Saturday while players and staff held prolonged discussions; FAI chief David Courell said the vote followed “another four hours of conversations” after a player expressed discomfort and indicated intent to withdraw. Bolton goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad on moral grounds, posting that as a man of faith and principle he felt it would be wrong to participate and that his stance is against the killing of innocent people, not against the Israeli people or Jewish community. The squad agreed to wear black armbands “in recognition of all the lives lost in the conflict” and to omit the pre-match handshake and pennant exchange, Courell said. Republic head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson said he regretted earlier using the word “genocide,” called it a “wrong word for me to use,” and argued that playing does not mean supporting what is happening in Gaza. Israel’s team leadership read a statement congratulating Ireland on the decision to play and saying “the separation between football and politics must continue.”

Saul Staniforth

@saulstaniforth.bsky.social

"Tonight Ireland will play Israel.. their goalkeeper has pulled out" Gavin Bazunu is his name. Hero.

1002h ago

~/iamroot7

Ashamed of the rest of the team.

plants-gal.bsky.social5

Well done, Gavin. Respect to you.

Jules Boykoff

@julesboykoff.bsky.social

Courage in action ➡️ Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Buzunu issues a statement on his decision to withdraw from Ireland squad for tomorrow's match against Israel: "My decision is based purely upon my personal belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong." www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

8314h ago

Quoting this

Nathan Kalman-Lamb53

It is actually fairly shameful that his teammates were confronted with this concrete example of principle and yet chose to betray it and him anyway.

henrik11

Bra. Alle andre i Irland sin tropp bør følgje etter.

Zeroisanumber11

idk, I feel like if this were my teammate and he said this mattered to him I'd have also withdrawn from the match.

Resist 🕎🍉

@antizionistjew.bsky.social

#BREAKING | Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdraws from the match against Israel

6920h ago

Quoting this

Timby28

I understand the point that the Israeli team represents their country not their government, but all the players have served in the government-directrd army. Ireland should not be playing them.

Úna-Minh's ✨ Open to Work ✨

@unaminh.bsky.social

We must support Gavin Bazunu for standing up against genocide. He’s being thrown under the bus with no support from his team and may be in a lonely place. Fuck the FAI and well done to Gavin for his strength. #StoptheGame #FreePalestine www.instagram.com/p/DdwuIoGRaO...

741h ago

Dr Robert Bohan

@robertbohan.bsky.social

Some 5 Irish players don’t want to be complicit if they sports-wash the Israeli state by playing footsie with them. The vast majority of ppl don’t want them to. However €€€ matters to football mgmt [FAI] more than genocide of at least 75,000 Palestinians. FAI politics are money, money, money*.

6721h ago

Wear The Peace

@wearthepeace.bsky.social

Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has refused to play against Israel after his team voted to go ahead with the match. Bazunu said, “I feel it would be wrong to participate,” adding that “the killing of innocent people is wrong” and that his decision was based on the “atrocities in the region.”

507h ago

RTÉ News

@news.rte.ie

Opposition parties have called on Government to intervene to stop Sunday's UEFA Nations League football match between the Republic of Ireland and Israel due to the "unfair pressure players and management are currently under"

3618h ago

Martin Byrne6

Fair play to Gavin Bazunu! ##StopTheGame

John Edwards, spokesperson for the world2

The pressure on players and management may be unfair, but this is such an easy decision for them to make. Everyone supports not playing, they'd be elevated as heroes. The Irish govt would fall in line and agree with them, and support their decision. Also, they'd look weak as hell.

ThorTheGiant2

Keep politics out of sports!!

Quoting this

Philip O'Connor14

Lol. Time and again, the Irish government has shown that it supports Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people, and it's not going to stop now.

Joe Noonan

@joenoonan.bsky.social

‘The FAI hoped to wing their way through this fortnight but today collided with its brutal reality. The fallout is only beginning. Irish football has once again shown the world the importance of leadership by its unforgivable absence.’ - Gavin Cooney @gcooney93.bsky.social

4011h ago

Seán O'Keeffe

@seanokeeffe11.bsky.social

Shameful. The players and the manager have been thrown under the bus by the spineless FAI. Gavin Bazunu with the only response that should be expected from an Irishman. The only one that can hold his head high in this whole debacle.

2911h ago

GylesNaMopaleen

@gylesnamopaleen.bsky.social

Nobody remembers any medal winners from the 1968 Olympics but everyone remembers what John Carlos & Tommie Smith did. In 50 years time, when everyone will say they were "against the genocide in Gaza", we will remember the name Gavin Bazunu for standing up. #speirgorm 🧵

Statement - Gavin Bazunu
Representing my country means everything to
me. I have the utmost respect for every single
one of my team mates, 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 upon 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 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.

195h ago

Josef O'Shea

@josefoshea.bsky.social

Feck this - you'd hope Gavin Bazunu knows how much people appreciate his stand - he'll be remembered for this long after others are long forgotten

251h ago

RupertDandy

@rupertdandy.bsky.social

Usual bollocks from BBC presumably for 'balance' ... "However, there are also Irish supporters, perhaps less vocal, who have always believed that the match should be played with supporters in attendance" www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

1721h ago

Thar Barr Superstar

@wildstate.bsky.social

I'm referring to every single player who didn't stand with Gavin Bazunu as a coward; Coward Caoimhín Kelleher, Coward Dara O'Shea, Coward James Amankbah, Coward Liam Scales, Coward Jason Knight, Coward Jason Molumby, Coward Chodize Ogbene, Coward Troy Parrott

1810h ago

Jules or Τζουλς 🕊️🍉

@katsikajules.bsky.social

Gavin Bazunu Ireland's goalkeeper withdraws from the Nations League game with Israel today. A heroic decision. Disappointing actions by the rest of the squad. Wearing black arm bands doesn't cut it guys. www.independent.ie/sport/soccer...

146h ago

bainne.bsky.social

@bainne.bsky.social

So they’re angry at Gavin Bazunu because they think he makes them look bad. Yeah he does make you look bad lads, because he’s on the right side of history and you’re a bunch of craven cowards.

189h ago

3 sources

theguardian.comRepublic of Ireland’s Gavin Bazunu boycotts Israel match ‘as a person of principle’lvz.deNations League: Irlands Nationaltorwart Gavin Bazunu boykottiert Spiele gegen Israel independent.ieFergal Keane: Gavin Bazunu’s lone act of resistance will be remembered in the broken alleys of Gaza

United Empire expands, Brawling Birds align at All Outsports Dante Moore carted off after hit; Dylan Raiola rallies Oregonsports Ireland proceeds with Nations League match after two player votes, Bazunu withdrawssports

Ireland proceeds with Nations League match after two player votes, Bazunu withdraws

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