Motion calling on government to cancel soccer fixtures defeated
The FAI has voted to proceed with the international fixture between Ireland and Israel
“A HUMANITARIAN motion” calling on the Football Association of Ireland and the Irish government to cancel any forthcoming fixtures involving Ireland and Israel, brought forward by councillors Andy Gladney and Jim Deane, was defeated at the county council’s July meeting.
“It will send a message of solidarity from the people of Carlow that human life matters and that peaceful, democratic pressure can make a difference,” said cllr Gladney before the vote.
While councillors Fergal Browne and Adrienne Wallace were quick to support the motion, others were less sure of its relevance. Cathaoirleach Tommy Kinsella pointed out the FAI had already voted to proceed with the fixtures at an extraordinary general meeting of its members.
“We did something similar for Eurovision and it didn’t do one bit of difference,” he said.
Cllr Gladney then referenced the “800-year imposition of rules and regulations” by the British onto the Irish people as the foundation for his support.
The discussion quickly descended into a debate over whether sports and politics should be mixed.
Cllr Michael Doran, backing up the Irish government’s continued opposition to Israel’s war on Gaza, said he couldn’t support the motion because it was outside the domain of the government. Feeling that Irish soccer would suffer if the FAI withdrew from the matches, cllr Brian O’Donoghue sided with him.
“A total cop-out” is how cllr Wallace described cllr Doran’s comments. “This is one of the very small things we can do to stand with Palestine,” she said.
Cllrs Charlie Murphy and John Cassin agreed with her, with cllr Cassin saying: “Unfortunately, Michael, sports and politics go hand-in-hand. It’s bigger than soccer.”
Cllr Ken Murnane broadened the discussion to breaking point by bringing the USA’s support of Israel into the mix.
Then, when put to a show of hands, the motion was defeated.
Shouting at the chair for a roll-call vote, cllr Gladney held a scarf above his head which read ‘Sport Is Political’ and put his right fist in the air.
The chair, presiding over his first meeting, stood his ground, even when later and ‘any other business’ was called, cllr Gladney told him: “You haven’t the balls to stand up.”
