UEFA Should Punish Ireland for Disgraceful Conduct, Says Ex-FA Chief

Former English Football Association and Manchester City chairman David Bernstein has sharply criticized the conduct of the Irish national football team and its associates during recent matches against Israel. In a column for The Jewish Chronicle, Bernstein, 83, argued that political demonstrations have no place in sports, which he believes should be a unifying force.

Bernstein cited several instances of what he deemed inappropriate behavior, including players wearing black armbands, refusing to shake hands with Israeli opponents, and bowing their heads during the Israeli national anthem. He also mentioned the refusal of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans to enter a match against Aston Villa in the Europa League, calling the police's actions "disgraceful." He stated that the Irish team's actions during the recent games were "clearly insulting, unworthy, and unsportsmanlike."

He specifically pointed to the Irish team's preparation for a match being disrupted by discussions about whether to play, the wearing of black armbands with an "unmistakable anti-Israel meaning," and one player raising a removed armband in celebration after scoring. Bernstein also noted that the Irish players refused to shake hands with their Israeli counterparts and symbolically bowed their heads during the Israeli anthem, which he described as an insult to the team's diverse, multi-ethnic roster including Muslim and Druze players.

Bernstein expressed his expectation that UEFA will take strong action, stating that such behavior typically falls under UEFA's purview. He believes it is "very likely" that Ireland's "childish and divisive stunts" violated the rules of international football and anticipates a significant punishment.