Irish Lawmakers Renew Boycott Call After Israel FA Rebukes Ireland Coach

Two Irish lawmakers renewed calls for the Football Association of Ireland to boycott matches against Israel after the Israel Football Association rebuked national-team coach Heimir Hallgrímsson. Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty accused the Israeli association of sportswashing and said players who refused to compete would receive broad support, while Social Democrats senator Patricia Stephenson said the response had not changed her position. The Israeli association had rejected Hallgrímsson’s description of the fixtures as playing against genocide, calling his remarks ignorant and hypocritical. Ireland and Israel are scheduled to meet September 27 in Debrecen and October 4 behind closed doors in Bačka Topola.