FAI bosses continue Israel appeasement with vote to fulfil fixtures

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has taken a fresh step towards historic ignominy by pushing through a vote to fulfil its Nations League fixtures against the genocidal apartheid entity of ‘Israel’.

In a statement, the FAI explained:

At an Extraordinary General Meeting on Wednesday, July 8th, members were asked to vote on the following ordinary motion:

“While acknowledging the strength of feeling regarding support for Palestine and the upcoming UEFA Men’s Nations League fixtures, that the members recognise the profound impact that any non-fulfilment of UEFA fixtures would have on Irish football as a whole and on its future development, and accordingly endorses the Association fulfilling its obligations in respect of those fixtures.”

Disgracefully, members of the sporting body’s General Assembly voted by a margin of 75 to 32 in favour of taking to the field opposite ex-Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) thugs.

FAI shows contempt for public’s wishes

The FAI continued to mewl its way through a statement, saying dishonestly:

The Association understands and respects the views expressed by its members, as well as players and staff, supporters, campaigners, members of the public and the Irish footballing community in relation to the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League fixtures between Ireland and Israel.

If it actually respected the views of players, supporters and the public at large, it wouldn’t even countenance appeasing the criminal settler-colony. Players from across Ireland comprehensively rejected going ahead with the shameful spectacle, with 63% of Professional Footballers Association Ireland (PFAI) members voting against it. 75.6% of Irish football fans don’t want the national team to be used as pawns to normalise the most abnormal, criminal ‘state’ on the planet.

The matches themselves will also be anything but normal. The first one is scheduled to be played in Hungary on September 27, rather than on the stolen Palestinian land of so-called ‘Israel’. As for the home leg, the conniving FAI have surrendered home advantage in favour of hiding their disgrace away behind closed doors in a small town in Northern Serbia. That leg is set for October 4.

The Stop the Game campaign, who have been the primary proponents of cancelling the fixtures, put out their own statement in response to the FAI’s appalling vote:

Tonight’s result is a disappointing indictment of the Football Association of Ireland and does not reflect the will of the Irish public or professional players. The Stop the Campaign remains resolute that Ireland will not play Israel in the Nations League Championship.

They raised “serious questions” about how the “vote was brought forward”. Their objections included:

…the denial of an initial request for proper debate on the match, the failure to address the questions brought by co-proposers before requisitions were sent, the three week delay between receipt of requisitions and them being deemed ineligible, the wording of the motion and the misrepresentation of the PFA’s position.

Football bosses shunning historic opportunity

So, once again, scheming machinations from the pathetic FAI, who made a feeble attempt to lie about getting Palestinian backing for the matches. It’s likely their move to play the game is illegal, with human rights solicitors Phoenix Law currently going after them and the Irish government for potentially failing to fulfil their “domestic human rights obligations”.

Prior to the vote, Labour’s Dublin MEP Aodhán Ó Ríordáin had said:

…when you take a leadership position on an issue such as Palestine, well then you have to go the whole hog. And I think there sometimes comes a moment in history where one country does something, or one football association does something that gives other people the space and the bravery to do the same.

This is the crux of the matter. Aside from the potential illegality, and the contempt for democracy shown by ignoring players’ and fans’ wishes, the FAI is botching a historic opportunity. Eventually, some country will be bold enough to say “no, we’re not sportwashing a holocaust any more”. Why not Ireland, given the near-unparalleled support for Palestine that exists here?

Once one stands up, others will be emboldened too, ultimately triggering the end of the Zionist entity’s participation in international sport, as was the case for apartheid South Africa. FAI bosses have an opportunity to be the first to rise in a historic “I’m Spartacus” moment, but reject heroism in favour of meekly entering history’s annals as villains appeasing genocide.

Featured image via FootballAssociationIreland