Ireland’s soccer coach says pro-Palestinian tennis ball protest ‘kills the game’

DUBLIN (AP) - Ireland fans throwing tennis balls onto the pitch in a pro-Palestinian protest "kills the game," national team coach Heimir Hallgrimsson said.

Irish activists who want the country's soccer federation to boycott Nations League games against Israel interrupted Ireland's match against Qatar on Thursday by hurling tennis balls onto the field in the first half at Aviva Stadium.

Hallgrimsson said "everybody has a right to protest" but that there's a downside, too.

"It just kills the game," he said. "If they want to destroy the game for us, then so be it. Obviously, it's not fun to see, especially for us who are trying to think about the football side."

The Icelandic coach reiterated that he opposes a boycott, arguing that from a sporting perspective it would only hurt Ireland and elevate Israel.

Ireland is scheduled to face Israel in an away game on Sept. 27 and at home on Oct. 4. Ireland's soccer federation, the FAI, has said it would face "serious consequences" from governing body UEFA if it refused to play the games.

Banners at Thursday's match read "stop the game" and the tennis balls featured the Palestinian flag - all in protest of Israel's military action in Gaza. The Israel-Hamas war was sparked by the militant group's attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Ireland won the friendly game 1-0. Qatar used the match as a warmup to its World Cup campaign. The Irish failed to qualify for the tournament.

Last October, Norway's soccer federation pledged to donate any profits from its World Cup qualifying game against Israel to aid work in Gaza, saying it "cannot remain indifferent" to humanitarian suffering.

In the buildup to Thursday's game, Hallgrimsson said the political debate is "unfair for the players."

"We're not the bad guys here. We just want to perform, we want to play," he said. "The players would like to perform for the country and do well."

The Israel Football Association told The Associated Press in a statement Friday: "We are not really interested in the hypocritical and biased debate that is taking place in Ireland between groups that are hostile or much more hostile to the idea called the state of Israel. Even if there are those among them who tell themselves a different story.

"We are dealing solely with the Irish Association, we really don't care about anything else. Everyone can stop contacting us with questions about the two matches - we will come. And of course try our best to win. What the other side decides is less of a concern to us."

Ireland and Britain are co-hosting the 2028 European Championship. Nations League performance plays a role in Euro qualification process.