The Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has decided to refuse participation in the Nations League match against Israel. He explained his choice by stating that his decision is based on disagreement with the killing of civilians.
In a statement published on social media, Bazunu emphasized that his decision is driven by the conviction that the killing of innocent people is wrong. He wrote that representing his country means everything to him, and as a person of strong faith striving to be moral and principled, he considers participating in the upcoming matches against Israel to be a mistake.
Bazunu added that there are times when the opportunity arises to defend a higher cause, and he firmly believes this is one such moment.
Nevertheless, the Football Association of Ireland announced that the Republic of Ireland will still play against Israel on Sunday as part of the UEFA Nations League match in Debrecen, Hungary. This came after the team's squad decided by majority vote to proceed with the match. The head of the Football Association of Ireland, David Currell, announced this on Saturday.
The vote took place after several hours of discussions at the team's hotel regarding a possible boycott of the game. According to reports, during the match, Ireland will use black ribbons on their sleeves and will not shake hands with Israeli players before the start of the game.