'No cure for stupidity': Israel's Football Association blasts Irish coach's calls to boycott match

The Israel Football Association (IFA) on Monday criticized Republic of Ireland National Team Coach Heimir Hallgrímsson for his calls to boycott an upcoming Israel-Ireland match. The IFA stated on X/Twitter, "Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by @IrelandFootball team coach." Hallgrímsson had previously indicated that "none of us feel comfortable playing in these games" after speaking with players. His comments followed an open letter signed by over 160 Irish sports figures, including Olympian Ciara Mageean, urging the Ireland national football team to boycott the UEFA Nations League fixtures against Israel, scheduled for September 27. The letter, from the Irish Sport for Palestine Group, argued that "Not playing the game would be the most sporting thing you could do."