Irish Media's Anti-Israel Rhetoric Continues After Soccer Match Draw
Translated & summarized from Walla by baba
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Irish media continued anti-Israel rhetoric after a 1-1 soccer draw.
- Journalists quoted Israeli reporter Liat Biton on "sporting revenge."
- Israeli journalists faced restrictions at press conferences.
- UEFA cited political questions for barring journalists.
- Irish media linked the match to broader geopolitical issues.
- Irish media acknowledged a loss for all involved despite the points.
Anti-Israel incitement persisted in the Irish media following the 1-1 draw between Ireland and Serbia. In an article for The Irish Times, Gavin Cummiskey described the match as "soaked in bitterness" from the draw onwards, with this sentiment spreading from fan groups to officials and players. He noted that both teams were kept apart as they left the field in Bačka Topola.
Cummiskey quoted Israeli journalist Liat Biton from the ONE website, who stated that the Israeli national team sought "sporting revenge" against a country that "has no idea what is happening here, and yet allows itself to interfere, to tell lies and to choose the wrong and inhuman side." Cummiskey added that Biton spent much of the pre-game period in disputes with security personnel and UEFA representatives. She was among two Israeli journalists initially barred from post-match press conferences.
The other journalist, a television reporter, had accused Irish players of racism, an incident that led to the suspension of a press conference. UEFA cited the political nature of questions as the reason for the decision and increased its media staff presence to monitor press conferences, ensuring they focused solely on the game.
Brendan O'Brien, writing in the Irish Examiner, reflected on the two matches between the teams, calling the experience "depressing, surreal, and, for a very brief moment, even glorious." He observed that what was presented as a choice between playing or boycotting an Israeli team, representing a country accused of genocide by a UN committee, devolved into a mix of local cultural wars. The discussions included references to October 7th, the Dubai Play incident, Ireland's 1936 friendly against Nazi Germany, and Qatar's human rights record, as well as complex political issues in Kosovo and Serbia.
O'Brien concluded that the scars and anxiety from these events could not be easily washed away, affecting the pitch, the Irish Football Association, and the media. He stated that while Ireland earned four points from the two games, "everyone lost something."
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