Richard Boyd Barrett Challenges Ireland’s Israel Match Decision
Richard Boyd Barrett questioned the decision to play a second football match against Israel during a discussion on Irish football. He argued that the team’s decision should be reconsidered in light of the Gaza genocide case, reported abuse of Irish players and pro-IDF chanting at the match.
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Transcript
Yeah, thanks to all our contributors. I love football. I played football, not at the level Daniel did, but most of my life.
Good goalkeeper.
Yeah, I'm a goalkeeper as well, so the goalkeepers definitely shouldn't be left out.
But look, football is about our humanity and it's particularly about young people.
Genocide is about the opposite of humanity. It's about systematically and deliberately killing people because of who they are.
And our government, under pressure, has joined the case for genocide, the worst crime possible against the state of Israel.
And that genocide included the murder of more than 70,000 people, more than 50% of men and women and children, 20,000 children and about 400 athletes.
So it's horrific what's been done and it is the opposite of what sport represents.
So after the match that you made the decision to play, the captain of the Israeli team said,
we are proud of our state and of our soldiers.
So they're proud of the state and the soldiers that committed those crimes, including against children and sports people, that our state has decided is a genocide.
Is that not a reason for you now to consider, as well as the abuse that was thrown at our players, the chanting in favour of the IDF at the match the other day,
is that not a reason for you to reconsider playing the second game?
And I would ask you, will you reconsider playing the second game against the state?
And isn't it obvious that if you made that decision, the pressure that was put on those players at the last weekend wouldn't be put on them?
Deputy, if you want an answer, okay, quickly.
That's it.
Thank you, Deputy.
Look, I think we've been clear throughout that there are many elements of this situation that we are deeply uncomfortable about.
With that said, our decision-making throughout has been with the future of Irish football in mind.
And I know that people want us to be a vehicle for broader statement and change,
but the reality is we are tasked to do a particular role, which is to protect the interests of Irish football today and into the future.
Will you reconsider?
As things stand, I don't see any change.
Thank you.