UEFA launches misconduct probe after tense Ireland-Israel Nations League match

NYON, Switzerland (AP) — UEFA is investigating possible misconduct by Ireland and Israel around their bad-tempered Nations League match on Sunday.

UEFA announced on Tuesday it appointed an ethics and disciplinary inspector after “the official reports which contained an allegation of an incident in or around the tunnel at halftime.”

The European soccer governing body didn’t immediately offer more details.

The Irish Times previously reported that Ireland head of athletic performance Damien Doyle alleged an Israel player spat at him when the teams were leaving the pitch at halftime of a game that ended 1-1 in neutral Backa Topola, Serbia.

Ireland coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said after the match Israel players were trying to intimidate his team from the start.

Ireland beat Israel 3-0 in the first match on Sept. 27 in Debrecen, Hungary, and the Irish again wore black armbands, bowed their heads during the Israel anthem, and refused to shake hands with their opponents to protest Israel’s actions in Gaza.

The Israel players also wore black armbands in memory of the people killed in the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

On Saturday, an Israeli journalist stated during the pre-match press conference that the Irish players called the Israeli players “monkeys” during the first game, leading to an immediate rebuke from Irish communications officer Kieran Crowley, who said it was “a lie” and ended the press conference.

Sunday’s game was supposed to be played in Dublin, but the Football Association of Ireland moved the game to neutral Serbia for “operational reasons” in June following widespread calls for a boycott.

The FAI resisted the boycott calls, arguing the team could be hit with punishing sanctions by UEFA. Ireland is co-hosting the 2028 European Championship with England, Wales and Scotland.

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