During a qualifier for the Women’s Basketball World Cup, scheduled to be played in 2025, Irish players refused to shake hands with their Israeli counterparts before the match began. It was played in Riga, Latvia.
The match had been scheduled to be played in Israel but was moved because of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
In addition, the Irish players stood by their bench on the side of the court for the national anthems, rather than in the middle of the court, as is customary. Before the match Basketball Ireland had released a statement saying that the team would not participate in ‘traditional pre-match arrangements’.
An Israeli player, Dor Saar, said that the Irish team were ‘quite anti-Semitic’.
According to the BBC Basketball Ireland’s full statement said: ‘Basketball Ireland informed Fiba Europe yesterday that as a direct result of recent comments made by Israeli players and coaching staff – including inflammatory and wholly inaccurate accusations of anti-Semitism, published on official Israeli Federation channels – that our players will not be partaking in traditional pre-match arrangements with our upcoming opponents. This includes exchanging of gifts, formal handshakes before or after the game, while our players will line up for the Irish national anthem by our bench rather than centre court. Basketball Ireland fully supports our players in their decision.’
Israel won the match 87-57.