Ireland 'assessing Next Steps' After Israel Draw

Basketball Ireland says it is "assessing adjacent steps" aft being tie pinch Israel successful a European qualifier.

Ireland are group to look Israel, on pinch Luxembourg and Bosnia-Herzegovina, successful 2027 EuroBasket qualifying successful November.

Basketball Ireland says it has spoken to Fiba Europe, European basketball's governing body, and is "extremely alarmed by nan ongoing humanitarian business successful Gaza" and is awaiting "clarifications connected a number of matters".

It besides says it will liaise pinch players, staff, nan Irish authorities and different stakeholders.

In a connection released connected Wednesday, external, Basketball Ireland says it would beryllium fined 80,000 euro if it does not fulfil nan fixture connected 18 November, and would look an further 100,000 euro good if it did not participate successful nan return fixture.

It says Ireland would besides beryllium removed from qualifying and beryllium banned from nan 2029 EuroBasket qualifiers.

A 30,000 euro good would beryllium imposed if Ireland elected to retreat from qualifying earlier it starts, but Fiba Europe whitethorn enforce further sanctions and has nan powerfulness to exclude teams from early competitions.

Qualifying is group to return spot complete 2 windows successful November 2025 and March 2026.

It is not nan first clip Ireland person been drawn to look Israel since nan ongoing conflict successful Gaza started successful October 2023.

Ireland refused to shingle hands with Israel and stood astatine nan broadside of nan tribunal for nan nationalist anthems successful a 2025 EuroBasket qualifier successful February 2024.

When Irish players raised concerns earlier that qualifier, Israel subordinate Dor Saar said nan Ireland squad was "quite anti-Semitic".

Israel coach Sharon Drucker besides said Ireland "did not respect" what nan crippled symbolises, while Basketball Ireland said that Saar's comments were "inflammatory and wholly inaccurate", and reported nan remarks to European basketball's governing assemblage Fiba Europe.

Ireland were warned by Fiba for their protest, and players stood for nan anthems connected tribunal and shook hands pinch Israel's players successful a 2nd EuroBasket qualifier betwixt nan sides successful Riga successful November.

Fiba person been contacted astir Basketball Ireland's statement.