Irish Wheelchair Basketball Team to Protest Israel During European Championship Qualifier
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
The Irish women's wheelchair basketball team plans to protest against Israel during a European Championship qualifier by bowing their heads during the Israeli anthem and wearing black armbands. The move follows a similar protest by the Irish football team and has faced criticism from pro-Palestinian groups calling for a boycott. Senator Chris Andrews urged the team's association to seriously consider the issue, emphasizing that disability sports should not be subject to different standards.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Irish wheelchair basketball players will protest Israel during a European Championship qualifier.
- Protest actions include bowing heads during the Israeli anthem and wearing black armbands.
- The protest mirrors a similar action by the Irish men's football team against Israel.
- Pro-Palestinian groups called for a boycott of the match.
- Senator Chris Andrews urged the wheelchair basketball association to address the issue seriously.
The Irish women's wheelchair basketball team is expected to protest against Israel during a European Championship qualifying match in Group B. Players plan to bow their heads during the Israeli national anthem and wear black armbands to commemorate those who died in Gaza. This planned action mirrors a similar protest by the Irish men's football team during two matches against Israel in the Nations League.
The decision for the wheelchair basketball players to compete against Israel has drawn criticism from organizations such as "Irish Sport for Palestine" and "Health Workers for Palestine," which have called for a boycott of the game. Irish Senator Chris Andrews of the Sinn Fein party raised the issue in the upper house of the Irish parliament, urging the wheelchair basketball association to "take the problem very seriously."
Andrews stated that the issue should not be treated less strictly simply because it involves a wheelchair basketball team, adding that "disability sport should not be treated patronizingly or with different standards." In response to the criticism, the association clarified that the final decision rests with the team's management but acknowledged that the players' stance was taken into consideration.
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