Israel dismisses FAI comments on clash as Uefa defends draw policy 

The Israel Football Association responded to FAI chief executive David Courell's remarks, questioning whether a formal request ‌to keep the teams apart had ⁠been made to UEFA.

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UEFA said on Saturday that decisions on whether national teams should be kept apart in competition draws were made on a case-by-case basis and guided primarily ​by security considerations, after the FAI said its request to avoid future ‌pairings with Israel had been rejected.

FAI chief executive David Courell said on Friday the body had asked UEFA if the Republic of Ireland and Israel could be separated in future draws after the ​teams were paired in February's Nations League draw.

The two sides are due to ​meet on September 27 and October 4 in the competition.

UEFA, European soccer's ⁠governing body, said requests to stop teams being drawn against each other were considered individually.

"Decisions ​to avoid certain teams being drawn against each other are made taking into consideration several factors, ​especially conditions between the two countries leading to structural risks for security," UEFA said a statement.

"UEFA handles every situation very carefully on its own merits and monitors all facts and developments."

Courell told reporters the FAI ​had been informed that such an arrangement would not be possible because Ireland and Israel ​had "never been in direct conflict".

The Israel Football Association also responded to Courell's remarks, questioning whether a formal request ‌had ⁠been made to UEFA.

"The question should be directed at UEFA: was there an official inquiry or request regarding this matter, or is this merely another inconsequential statement?" IFA head of communications Shlomi Barzel told Reuters.

"Since we long ago stopped getting worked up over statements detached from reality, ​we are focusing on ​high-quality professional preparations ⁠to achieve our goals on the pitch."

Last November, members of ​the FAI voted overwhelmingly for its board to request that UEFA should suspend ​the IFA ⁠from European competitions, while in May leading Irish footballers and celebrities joined in a campaign for a boycott of Ireland's home Nations League fixture.

Ireland's designated home match on October 4 is due to ⁠be played ​behind closed doors in Backa Topola, Serbia, instead of ​Dublin, while Irish fans will not receive tickets for Israel's designated home fixture in Debrecen, Hungary, the previous weekend.

Reuters