Irish stand against Israel will widen internationally, according to Pico Lopes

Lopes has taken over as chairperson of the PFAI and has offered his unequivocal support to the Stop The Game campaign group

STOP THE GAME: Pico Lopes believes the Irish players’ union will be joined by their international counterparts in calling for a boycott of fixtures against Israel. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Pico Lopes believes the Irish players’ union will be joined by their international counterparts in calling for a boycott of fixtures against Israel.

The Shamrock Rovers captain has this week returned from helping Cape Verde reach the last-32 of the World Cup in North America, where their run was eventually halted by holders Argentina in Friday’s last 32-clash, 3-2 after extra-time.

Lopes has taken over as chairperson of the PFAI.

The union are one of four proposers urging the FAI to pull out the Ireland men’s team out of the Uefa Nations League matches against Israel in the Autumn, citing breaches of Fifa statutes as well as an independent UN report charging them with genocide.

After the FAI ruled their motion out of order, the association’s board themselves tabled a counter proposal for Wednesday’s EGM that endorses their fulfilment of the fixtures.

Both matches, Israel’s home on September 27 and Ireland’s, a week later, will be played on neutral territory of Hungary and Serbia respectively.

Lopes had offered his unequivocal support to the Stop The Game campaign group. They insist the FAI’s decision last month to go neutral, amidst a tennis ball protest at the last men’s home game against Qatar in May, is insufficient.

“Hopefully the EGM goes the right way because some things are bigger than football and this is definitely one of them,” said the 34-year-old.

“My stance hasn’t changed in that these games shouldn’t be played. Talking about neutral venues is not really solving the problem, just moving it abroad.”

Ireland has been a lone voice in floating the boycott measure when it comes to facing Israel. Since their retaliation to the Hamas attack of October 2023, Israel have escaped the suspension imposed by Fifa and Uefa on Russia following their invasion of Ukraine.

World Cup quarter-finalists Norway hosted Israel in last October’s qualifier, albeit 1,000 protesters arrived at the Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, chanting pro-Palestine songs. Inside, a banner was unfurled which read “Let Children Live.”

Ireland were grouped alongside Israel, Austria and Kosovo in February’s League B group draw but the silence from the other two opponents, while the concerned Irish players take a stand, has left them isolated.

Solidarity would bolster the promotion of their pleas, as the summer fades out into the campaign kicking off on September 24.

“As players unions, we need to protect those players,” added Lopes.

“I think that’s why the PFA Ireland were so vocal on it because our interest is the players and we have to look after them.

“There are a few people in FIFPro who have been in touch with me. They’re really impressed with what we’re doing, encouraging more federations to have a stance.

“It just goes to show we’re not just shouting and people aren’t hearing.

“People are actually looking at what we’re doing and they’re impressed, “They are saying ‘we need more people to stand up like PFA Ireland have done’.

“This is coming from FIFPro themselves and they’re probably looking internally to see what more they can do to help associations.”

Lopes insists the decision of players – including former clubmates like Liam Scales and Johnny Kenny, along with potential current Rovers graduates – shouldn’t be put in a position whereby they’ve to decide on their participation.

“If the players don’t want to play that game – and we’ve seen the results in our league alone, where the majority don’t feel comfortable with the game being played, that has to extend on to national teams as well,” he reasoned.

“Is anyone going to refuse to play for their country? Probably not because it’s a very difficult position to be put in “It needed to be taken out of their hands and it hasn’t been. We still need to make those calls by banging on the door for the powers-that-be to stop the game.”