Republic of Ireland news conference delayed before controversial Israel game
The Republic of Ireland's football team has delayed a press conference and training session ahead of their Nations League match against Israel. The fixture has faced significant pressure from activists calling for a boycott due to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war.
Why it matters
The situation highlights the intersection of international sports and geopolitical conflict, creating significant operational and political pressure on national teams.
Image source, Inpho Image caption, The top table remained empty at the appointed time
The Republic of Ireland have delayed the pre-match news conference planned for Sunday's Uefa Nations League game against Israel in Hungary - a fixture campaigners have called on them to boycott.
Heimir Hallgrimsson's team are scheduled to meet in Debrecen at 19:45 BST, with the return fixture in Backa Topola, Serbia on 4 October.
They have faced calls to withdraw from the games because of the ongoing Israel-Gaza war with a "Stop The Game" campaign - organised by the pressure group Irish Sport for Palestine - gathering pace.
Former Republic of Ireland manager Brian Kerr and ex-international James McClean are among those to have backed calls for a boycott.
However, there are also Irish supporters, perhaps less vocal, who have always believed that the match should be played with supporters in attendance.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in