The international break is here, and for Ireland, few games in recent memory have had as much anticipation as the Nations League double-header with Israel. Of course, for all the wrong reasons.
Ireland play four games over the next two weeks; they include two games against Israel at neutral venues, the first on the 27th September in Hungary, the second in Serbia on the 4th October. The second match is nominally the Republic's home tie, but it is being played behind closed doors over security fears.
There has been pressure in the Republic of Ireland to boycott matches against Israel because of the attack in Gaza. But in July, the FAI voted to proceed with the games amid concerns that a boycott would potentially harm the association.
Major divide
On both a historical and humanitarian level, Irish people have always been among the most vocal and passionate in support of Palestine, as well as countries such as Lebanon and Syria.
Despite this, there is a major divide between the bulk of the general population and the authorities on the issue of boycotting these fixtures.
The Irish government has been “strong” in its condemnation of the atrocities taking place in Gaza, the West Bank and southern Lebanon, but far less so in its actions. It was all smiles when Donald Trump – a key funder of Israel – landed for the Irish Open last week. Why was it held at his golf course? Politics is undoubtedly complicated, but come on.
The fabled political act of speaking out of both sides of your mouth extended to the boycott. Following February’s draw, Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Micheal Martin was adamant the games should go ahead, trying to separate sport from politics. It's a complete folly and even more so in the international sphere. There seems to be no blowback to the national broadcaster, RTÉ, boycotting Eurovision for a second year either. The broadcaster has confirmed it will provide "stripped-back" coverage that will meet its contractual obligations to broadcast Ireland's two UEFA Nations League fixtures against Israel.
The FAI have been morally contradictory and inconsistent. In November, a member vote passed a resolution to put forward a motion to ban Israel from all UEFA competitions. It was a straightforward procedure, with the Israeli FA violating two statutes: failing to implement an anti-racist policy and clubs playing in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The vote was 97% in favour but slowed down due to Trump’s “peace plan” and the ongoing “ceasefire”. Neither could be considered a success, but we should know better than to expect leadership and conscience from those at the top of the sport. (The less said about Gianni Infantino, the better).
A second vote took place in July, this time regarding the boycott of the games – 70% of FAI members were in favour of the games being played, including legendary goalkeeper Packie Bonner.
The complete contrast in the votes exposed plenty. In the November vote to ban Israel from all UEFA competitions, the FAI knew they had the support of other European nations. In July, they were on their own. Happy to be part of a group but afraid to stand alone.
In a slight defence of the FAI, there are other factors at play, notably the €35m debt still hanging around their necks from the controversial John Delaney era. Among their creditors are the government, FIFA and UEFA, suggesting a more than compromising position.
However, the level of scaremongering ahead of November’s vote was wholly unnecessary. Financial ruin and losing co-hosting rights to EURO 2028 were recklessly bandied around, neither of which were ever confirmed and appear incredibly unlikely.
Current FAI chief executive CEO David Courell did at least have the courage to speak publicly on the matter. It is an undeniably tough position, but suggesting a “unilateral” boycott defeats the purpose of protest. Doing the right thing is what matters, and if a fear of consequences stops you, it is nothing more than posturing.
The consistent line of “doing what's best for Irish football” is also tired, vague and inaccurate. What exactly does that mean? Is the soul of Irish football really worth six points and an insignificant sum of money?
Neither manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, nor the players want to be (or should be) in this position. In his press conference following the squad announcement, the Icelandic repeatedly mentioned how “uncomfortable” everyone was.
It feels unfair to criticise any individual player. They are taking a so-called “united front”, but could one not at least stand up for what's right? Celebrities and sports stars should never be viewed as role models, but as Macklemore, who was dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour earlier this month for making pro-Palestinian comments on stage, and several Irish artists have proved their role in driving change cannot be underestimated.
The power of sport and music is like little else in terms of grabbing global attention. There is talk of a “symbolic protest” before or during the game. But will that do for the tens of thousands of Palestinians who have been killed? What will that change? The time for symbolism is over. Action is needed.
Like so often, the real action will come from the people. The #StopTheGame movement has only grown, with support unsurprisingly from James McClean among many others in the local game. Protests are planned for outside government buildings and FAI headquarters during the international break.
But what about everyone else? If the game can't be stopped, it shouldn’t be acknowledged. Don't watch it. Don't read match reports. Don't normalise it. Don’t give it any legitimacy. This isn't sport. This isn't politics. This is humanity.
The sporting repercussions of boycotting may have been avoided, but the moral repercussions of playing will forever stain those involved. One day soon, they will wake up and ask themselves: was it all worth it?
