Ireland defeated Israel 3-0 in a UEFA Nations League match on Sunday, but the controversy extended beyond the pitch. Israeli supporters have been accused of directing racist chants at Ireland player Adam Idah and were filmed raising military slogans, yet they have evaded disciplinary action from UEFA, the competition's organiser.
Adam Idah, a 25-year-old Ireland international born to a Nigerian father and an Irish mother, was targeted with "monkey chants," as videos circulating on social media showed. However, UEFA has reportedly confirmed that racist abuse occurred but stated the matter cannot be investigated because protocols were not followed by Irish players and officials.
Ireland midfielder Jayson Molumby, who heard the racist chants before half-time, asked the referee and the fourth official to listen to the alleged monkey chants, according to an FAI spokesperson quoted by The Irish Times. However, a UEFA delegate informed the FAI that an investigation could not be opened as Molumby did not explicitly mention racism to the officials and they had not heard any chanting.
An Israeli supporter, Youseph Haddad, a member of an Israeli right-wing party and a candidate for the upcoming parliamentary elections, filmed himself in the stands with other supporters as they chanted about the Israeli military. "Yes, we lose in football, but where we don't lose," Haddad says in the video, answering himself: Israeli forces. "So maybe the football Irish team beat us on the football field, but they will never, ever break the Israeli spirit," he adds.
The match itself had been a point of contention for months. The FAI and the national team were under pressure to boycott the fixtures due to Israel's genocide in Gaza and Ireland's status as a Palestine ally. However, after hours of talks and a vote among the team, the match went ahead. Ireland players wore black armbands in support of Palestinians killed during Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.
Irish players also bowed their heads during Israel's national anthem and did not shake hands with the Israeli team. Ireland's captain, Dara O'Shea, pledged to donate all of his earnings from the match to aid Gaza. Ireland's first-choice goalkeeper, Gavin Bazunu, was the only player who publicly opted out of the fixture, stating he felt "it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel."
According to UEFA's disciplinary regulations, penalties for national associations whose fans are found guilty of breaking the rules can range from fines to stadium closures and bans on away ticket sales. However, such sanctions are announced following a disciplinary investigation. Al Jazeera has asked UEFA whether the Israel Football Association will face a disciplinary inquiry due to its fans' sloganeering, but no response has been received.
Source: www.aljazeera.com