FAI ends Ireland news conference after rejecting racism allegations

The Football Association of Ireland ended head coach Heimir Hallgrimsson's news conference after a journalist raised allegations of racism by Irish players, BBC Sport reported. FAI communications manager Kieran Crowley denied the allegations and brought the session to a close when the reporter refused to relinquish the microphone. The exchange took place before the Republic of Ireland's second match against Israel.

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The allegations concerned Ireland's 3-0 victory over Israel in Debrecen, Hungary, the previous Sunday. They remain allegations, not established findings. Separately, the FAI has announced an investigation into reports that Israel supporters directed racist abuse at Ireland striker Adam Idah during that match. The BBC report did not provide an outcome to that investigation, and the claims against Irish players were explicitly rejected by Crowley.

At Israel's later news conference, a team media officer said the Israel Football Association had not submitted a complaint to Uefa. The officer said the association would consider the matter after the next match and relayed players' accounts of exchanges they regarded as different from ordinary on-field verbal confrontations. Israel coach Ran Ben-Shimon declined to discuss the dispute, saying his attention was on securing a result.

Hallgrimsson likewise said he did not want to become involved in examining the allegations and wanted the focus to return to football. He said others would handle the relevant processes and that he had not studied the details. The Ireland manager also praised his squad's mutual support during an international window dominated by debate over the Israel fixtures.

Before the first meeting, goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the fixtures because he opposed participating. FAI chief executive David Courell said a player vote on playing the matches had passed by a significant majority. Ireland's players wore black armbands in recognition of lives lost in the Gaza conflict. During Thursday's match against Austria in Dublin, protesters threw tennis balls onto the pitch and a person carrying a Palestine flag briefly entered the playing area.

Ireland have four points from three games following the win over Israel, a 2-2 draw with Austria and a 1-0 defeat by Kosovo. Hallgrimsson also said stand-in captain Dara O'Shea was away from the squad because his wife was due to give birth. His return before Sunday's match remained uncertain.