No FAI staff member spoke to Gavin Bazunu ahead of Israel game, Oireachtas Committee hears

The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) told the joint Oireachtas Sport Committee on Wednesday that no member of staff spoke with Gavin Bazunu about his thoughts on playing Israel in advance of the game, as scrutiny grows on the association’s level of engagement with the player amid last weekend’s fraught circumstances.

Bazunu told Ireland head coach Heimir Hallgrímsson on Saturday morning that he wished to withdraw from the Israel game the following day. Hallgrimsson subsequently revealed at a press conference later that day that he had not spoken directly to Bazunu in advance about the playing against Israel.