Ireland women's basketball fixture
Deputy Ward called for Israel to be removed from international basketball competitions, arguing FIBA should be consistent after excluding Russia and Belarus. The Minister restated the Government's ceasefire and humanitarian position and said fixture decisions are for sporting bodies, not Government.
The Ireland women's basketball team has been put in an awful position ahead of today's match against Israel. FIBA previously removed Russia and Belarus in 2022, a move Basketball Ireland supported. They even protested against its own fixture against Belarus on that occasion. FIBA and Basketball Ireland need to be consistent by removing Israel from international competitions. Israeli basketball players posing with guns and Israel Defense Forces, IDF, members was a deplorable sight. An Israeli player calling her Irish counterpart antisemitic is another attempt to intimidate the Irish team. Taking a stand against mass displacement and the murder of innocent people is not antisemitism. Being anti-genocide is not antisemitism. The behaviour by the Israeli team this week alone should be enough for Basketball Ireland to withdraw from the match. It is not too late to do the right thing. Will the Government support the calling off of the match? Does it condemn Israeli basketball players posing with guns and labelling Irish athletes antisemitic?
Comment on this
The Government's position on what is happening in the Middle East is very clear. We have continued to call for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, the release of all hostages unconditionally and full and unhindered humanitarian access so the people of Gaza get the essential supplies they need. The Government does not interfere in decisions that are appropriately made by relevant sporting organisations when it comes to fulfilling fixtures. Were the Government to get into that space, it would be completely wrong and inappropriate. The players have been placed in a very difficult position but that is not because of the Government or Basketball Ireland. We need leadership and decisiveness from FIBA, the international organisation. Putting individual players or individual country teams into a position where they have to make the call, which can impact on their careers, their ability to compete in the future and on funding, is not fair on them. It should not fall on them to make that decision.