Home » Football » International » Republic of Ireland
Irish goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has reportedly been verbally abused by a team-mate after his decision to withdraw from their clash against Israel on grounds of conscience.

Irish goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the Republic of Ireland squad ahead of their match against Israel on grounds of conscience. Following a four-hour squad meeting at their hotel in Kosovo, which delayed the team's charter flight to Hungary, the majority of the squad voted to proceed with the fixture. Bazunu was reportedly subjected to verbal abuse and faced strong anger from teammates over his decision.
Bazunu stated his choice was based on his principles and personal faith regarding the killing of innocent people in the region. The remaining Irish squad played the fixture while staging protests, including refusing to shake hands, bowing their heads during the Israeli national anthem, and wearing black armbands. Midfielder Jason Knight also publicly voiced discomfort regarding the game, while manager Heimir Hallgrimsson faced criticism over prior comments.
Fit-again Lawal joins Republic of Ireland squadBBC Sport
Israel captain stokes feud by saying ‘our country is 10 times better than Ireland’The Guardian
The story behind Israel vs Ireland: Bowed heads, black armbands and a one-man boycottThe Athletic
Republic of Ireland defeat Israel in DebrecenBBC Sport
Republic of Ireland put controversy aside with fine first half to seal win against IsraelThe Guardian
We use cookies to improve your experience, understand how MySportsTab is used, and deliver relevant content. You can accept all cookies, reject non-essential cookies, or customise your preferences at any time.
Get the latest sports news and top stories from MySportsTab delivered straight to your inbox.
No spam. Just the latest sports news and updates.