Ireland issued official warning over Israel basketball protest

The Irish team refused to exchange handshakes and stood by their bench for their national anthems in protest at Israeli player Dor Saar accusing the Irish team of being 'quite anti-Semitic'

The Ireland team stand by their bench as they stand for their national anthem before the FIBA Women's EuroBasket Championship Qualifier match between Israel and Ireland at the Rimi Olympic Centre in Riga, Latvia. Photo: Oksana Dzadan/Sportsfile

Basketball Ireland and its senior women’s team were issued an official warning” by FIBA Europe for “unsportsmanlike conduct” in the wake of last February’s EuroBasket qualifier against Israel.

The match played behind closed doors in Riga, Latvia, was surrounded in controversy, with the Israeli team pictured beforehand with armed forces and guns courtside at training, while the Irish team refused to exchange handshakes either side of the game and stood by their bench for their national anthems in protest at Israeli player Dor Saar accusing the Irish team of being “quite anti-Semitic”.