The Israel Football Association has accused Heimir Hallgrímsson, the head coach of the Republic of Ireland national team, of “hypocrisy and stupidity” following his remarks about the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches between the two countries.
Activists have intensified their efforts to persuade the Republic of Ireland squad to boycott Sunday’s game in Hungary. A group of protesters gathered outside the hotel where the team is staying in Dublin.
When announcing the squad last week, Hallgrímsson stated that many players felt uncomfortable about having to face Israel, adding, “We are not playing with genocide, we are playing against genocide.”
In a sharp response posted on social media Monday evening, the Israel Football Association wrote: “We have contributed to the advancement of peace and humanity across many fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes in the process. Unfortunately, we have yet to find a cure for the stupidity, ignorance, and hypocrisy demonstrated by the coach of the Republic of Ireland team. We do not play with ignorance, hypocrisy, and stupidity – we play against the coach who embodies them.”
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