'Sometimes it's bigger than basketball': Calls grow for Govt support over Ireland-Israel fixture

BreakingNews.ie

3 days ago

Politicians and former players are calling for the Government to support Basketball Ireland while it considers its next steps after being drawn in the same group as Israel for a women's European campaign.
James Weldon's side will be in qualifying Group A in the Women's EuroBasket 2027 qualifiers, along with Israel, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Luxembourg.
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Ireland are due to travel to Israel for an away game on November 18th.
In a statement, Basketball Ireland highlighted that on commencement of the competition, it would be subject to a fine of up to €80,000 should Ireland fail to fulfil their first fixture with Israel.
Meanwhile, failure to play the return game would lead to a fine of up to €100,000 and removal from the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2027 Qualifiers, as well as the FIBA Women's EuroBasket 2029 Qualifiers.
Former player, Rebecca O'Keeffe, said the sporting body will need the backing of the government.
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"If there are sanctions, absolutely the Government should be stepping in to help. Basketball is a very underfunded sport in this country, even though it's one of the fastest-growing," she said.
The two sides met in a controversial qualifier in the Latvian capital, Riga, in February of 2024, despite public pressure to boycott the game over Israel's bombardment of Gaza.
"I appreicate the transparency with Basketball Ireland this time round where they said [they] have been talking to the relevant delegations and sporting bodies and the government can absolutely step in and help," O'Keeffe said.
"There is public support for this. They have options. Sometimes it's bigger than basketball, sometimes it's bigger than money."
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Social Democrats sports spokesperson, Sinead Gibney, said other sports need to examine whether they compete in competitions involving Israel.
She said Athletics Ireland should consider its participation in the World Athletics Championships in September.
"I certainly think Athletics Irleand should be looking at it, absolutely. And I realise what that means, I realise what we're asking of our athletes and I don't want to apply pressure to any individual athelete.
"That's why the governing bodies need to be the ones to look at it and take that action."
Sinn Féin foreign affairs spokesperson, Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire, said the responsibility of the situation in Gaza should not be on the players' shoulders.
"I think the Irish people, they're not looking towards the likes of the basketball team to make decisions, albeit boycotts are imminently justifiable and I think right," he said.
"They're looking at the Irish Government. They want to see the Occupied Territories Bill advanced. They want to see the issue in relation to the war bonds being resolved and they want to see further action and a more vocal approach at a European level."