Calls grow to sanction Israel as Iceland boss admits Euro 2024 play-off concern

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Age Hareide, the head coach of Iceland, has his reservations about the fixture he guides his team into on Thursday night in Budapest, Hungary.

“If you ask me from a personal point of view,” Hareide said in the build-up to the play-off semi-final for this summer’s European Championship, “I’m hesitant to play against Israel, given what is happening to women, children and other innocent civilians in Gaza.

“We shouldn’t have to play this game, as far as I am concerned. But we must. The consequences for Iceland would be heavy if we did not.”

Hareide’s observations, answered with vehement criticism from within Israel that he had made no mention of the Hamas-led attacks on Israeli territory on October 7 that preceded the sustained military assault on Gaza, were raised more than once at Wednesday’s Israel-Iceland pre-match press conference. The Norwegian, while stating, “I am interested in politics”, insisted: “I don’t take sides. We are playing against footballers and I have nothing against the Israelis.”

The issue of whether Israel should be participating in a major sporting event was, Hareide added: “Up to the football politicians to decide.”

Up to now, their stance has been clear. Neither Uefa, the European body overseeing Euro 2024 and its high-stakes play-offs, nor Fifa or the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have moved to impose sanctions on Israel.

On Wednesday night, the IOC presided over the draw for the groups at this summer’s Paris Olympics’ men’s football tournament, with Israel, Egypt, Morocco and potentially three more Mena countries all involved in another politically-fraught event.

Yet the call for football to impose a boycott on Israel grows ever louder.