Players won't be stopped from taking stand - Collins on Israel fixtures

Republic of Ireland captain Nathan Collins said no players would be held back if individuals wanted to take a stand regarding Nations League matches against Israel later in the year. The Football Association of Ireland confirmed it would fulfil the fixtures, warning that refusal could trigger disciplinary action, including possible disqualification from the competition. A protest took place outside the Irish parliament against the decision to play on 27 September and 4 October. Collins said players are entitled to their own opinions and that the team must trust the FAI and the government. A pressure group called for a boycott, citing alleged breaches of UEFA and FIFA rules and describing Israeli actions as apartheid and genocide. Israel denied genocide or war crimes and said its Gaza actions were self-defence after the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack.

"“What we'd speak about is hard to say, because you need the whole group together. But if individuals wanted to take a stand, we are not going to stand against them, we are not going to hold them back,” said Collins, speaking before the Republic of Ireland's friendly with Qatar in Dublin on Thursday. “They are entitled to their own opinions. If they are very strong about that, we can't stop them.”"

"“For players we just have to trust the FAI. “We have to trust the government that they know what they're doing. We're picked to play football. You know, we're picked to represent our country. “It's a tough situation for us to be in and we have to trust the people around us, that they know what they are doing.”"

"Earlier this year, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) confirmed it would fulfil the fixtures, saying there was a real prospect that refusal to play could lead to disciplinary measures, including potential disqualification from the competition. On Tuesday, there was a protest outside the Dail (Irish parliament) against the FAI's decision to play the games on 27 September and 4 October."

"Pressure group Irish Sport For Palestine has also called for a boycott, citing what it describes as “clear and ongoing serious breaches of Uefa and Fifa statute regarding Israeli teams playing on occupied Palestinian lands” and “a brutal system of apartheid and genocide, both of which are accepted by the Irish government”. Israel has regularly denied committing genocide or war crimes and has said its actions in Gaza have been justified as a means of self-defence."

Read at www.bbc.com