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Israel FA Slams Ireland Manager for 'Ignorance, Hypocrisy, Stupidity
Confirmed
In Short: The Israel Football Association has accused Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson of 'ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity' over his comments about upcoming matches.
During his squad announcement for the upcoming Nations League games, Hallgrimsson said, 'We're not playing with genocide, we're playing against genocide. We're playing against Israel, we're not playing with Israel,' when asked about keeping his players focused on the games.
Israel launched a massive military offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas's attack on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.
More than 160 Irish sportspeople have signed an open letter by the Irish Sport for Palestine Group urging a boycott of the games against Israel.
The Israel FA has accused Hallgrimsson of 'ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity' in comments made last week, adding further toxicity to the already controversial fixtures.
Hallgrimsson's side is due to play Israel twice: on September 27 in Hungary and on October 4 in Serbia.
The FAI declined to comment on the Israel FA’s tweet when approached by The 42.
The Israel FA is considering filing a complaint to UEFA over Hallgrimsson’s comments.
International and European club games have not been held in Israel since October 2023 due to security concerns.
UEFA commented last week on rejecting the Football Association of Ireland's petition to not pair its national team and Israel in future matches, saying it considered security concerns in its decision.
What this adds
The Israel FA's tweet was a direct response to Hallgrimsson's use of the word 'genocide' during his squad announcement.
The open letter from Irish athletes includes high-profile names from various sports.
What's confirmed
- More than 160 Irish sportspeople have signed an open letter by the Irish Sport for Palestine Group to urge a boycott of the games against Israel.
- The Republic of Ireland are due to play Israel on 27 September in Hungary before the reverse fixture in Serbia on 4 October.
- Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by @IrelandFootball team coach.
What's still developing
- Israel has regularly denied committing genocide or war crimes and has said its actions in Gaza have been justified as a means of self-defence.
- Also included in the 160 plus names are GAA's Padraig O'Hora, Joe Brolly, Colm O'Rourke, Michael Darragh Macauley, Philly McMahon, Valerie Mulcahy and Rena Buckley, as well as para-athlete Alan Dineen and ultimate frisbee's Stephen Jones, who both boycotted fixtures against Israel earlier this year.
- THE OFFICIAL X account of the Israel Football Association have launched a scathing attack on Heimir Hallgrímsson this evening.
- Both Hallgrímsson and the Football Association of Ireland have defended the decision to go ahead with the matches, despite widespread calls for a boycott owing to Israel committing what the world’s leading genocide scholars’ association has agreed meets the legal definition of the crime.
- We’re not playing with… On Sunday, Israeli news outlets reported the Israel FA is considering lodging a complaint with Uefa concerning the Ireland manager, however, no such complaint had been received by Uefa as of Monday evening.
- The FAI moved Ireland’s home match against Israel, which will be played on October 4th, from Dublin to Backa Topola in Serbia citing “operational challenges” that could “impact on the delivery of the game on home soil”.
- Hallgrímsson also stood over a statement he made last year about being unable to understand why Russia were banned by Fifa and Uefa following the invasion of Ukraine, yet Israel have not been sanctioned for the country’s actions in Palestine.
- Israel travel to play Austria in Linz on Thursday in their opening Nations League fixture before their ‘home’ tie against the Republic of Ireland on Sunday at Nagyerdei Stadion in Debrecen, Hungary.
- When his squad was announced on Thursday, Sept. 17, Hallgrimsson fielded questions about the tournament.
- Israel retaliated and has since killed 67,000 people, most of them civilians, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, an agency of the Hamas-controlled government.
- "We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, We’re playing against the coach who embodies them." This is the latest development in the tension between Ireland and Israel since the two were paired in the Nations League draw in February.
- Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing an estimated 1,200 people and taking 251 hostage, per Israeli reports.