Goalkeeper Bazunu refuses to face Israel as Ireland players skip training

Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has told teammates he does not want to play against Israel, while the squad skipped their final training session in Debrecen amid mounting pressure at home to boycott the matches.

Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has reportedly told teammates he does not want to play against Israel, and RTÉ reporter Tony O’Donoghue said some players had decided not to take part in the two Nations League games against the Israeli side.

The Irish players skipped their final training session at the Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary, on the eve of Sunday’s match, spending hours at the team hotel in talks with manager Heimir Hallgrimsson and his staff. The press conference was postponed, and an expected statement from the players did not come because the squad was not unanimous.

Pressure to boycott has been mounting in Ireland, where sympathy for Palestinians is strong. More than 160 Irish sportspeople, including Olympians, signed an open letter urging a rethink, and protesters gathered outside the team hotel in Dublin.

Hallgrimsson has said, “We’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide. We’re playing against Israel, we’re not playing with Israel.” The FAI has insisted on fulfilling the fixtures to avoid UEFA sanctions. The second match is set for October 4 in Backa Topola, Serbia.