‘Israeli’ football association attacks Ireland coach over “genocide” remarks

• Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrímsson says his team will play “against genocide” when it faces ‘Israel’ in upcoming Nations League fixtures.
• His comments come amid calls from Irish sports figures and supporters for Ireland to boycott the matches.
• More than 160 Irish sports figures have signed an open letter urging the team not to play against ‘Israel’.
• The ‘Israeli’ Football Association accused Hallgrímsson of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy” and said it was considering a complaint to UEFA.

The ‘Israeli’ Football Association has hit back at Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson after he said Ireland would be playing “against genocide” when it faces ‘Israel’ in upcoming Nations League fixtures.

Speaking during a squad announcement, Hallgrímsson said: “We are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide. We are playing against Israel, we are not playing with Israel.”

The ‘Israeli’ Football Association responded by accusing Hallgrímsson of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy” and said it was considering filing a complaint with UEFA over his remarks.

The dispute comes as Ireland faces calls from sports figures and supporters to boycott its matches against ‘Israel’. The two teams are scheduled to meet in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sep. 27, followed by a return fixture in Bačka Topola, Serbia, on Oct. 4.

Ireland’s planned matches against ‘Israel’ continue to engender controversy. Irish campaigners and sports figures have called for sporting bodies to take action against ‘Israel’, while the ‘Israeli’ Football Association has defended its participation in international competitions.

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