Far from sporting atmosphere in Riga as Ireland lose out to Israel

“We Love Israel” read the electronic advertising boards behind the Irish players as they stood grim-faced courtside in advance of their European Championship qualifying game in a largely deserted venue in Riga, Latvia.

A number of their team-mates – reportedly five – had opted to remain at home, the 12 who made the trip wearing the look of players who wished they were anywhere else.

From one side in a tumultuous build-up, there was intense pressure on them to boycott the game because of the slaughter in Gaza. From the other, namely the sport’s international governing body, came the threat of a large fine and a five-year international ban if they refused to fulfil this fixture and the return game in Israel next November. Basketball Ireland insisted they had no choice but to play.

It was never going to pass quietly, but more fuel was poured on the fire when images emerged online of the Israeli Defence Force visiting the team during training, among those images a chilling one of an assault weapon lying at the side of the court.

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And the Israelis’ ill-will towards Ireland – stemming from the refusal to host this game in Dublin because Basketball Ireland stated that they could not “guarantee the safety of the Israeli team, because of the likelihood of protests” – deepened on Wednesday with remarks from Dor Saar, a member of the Israeli squad.

“It’s known that they [Ireland] are quite anti-Semitic, it’s not a secret, so we are expecting an intense game,” she said.

An hour before the match, Basketball Ireland announced that they had informed FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, “that as a direct result of recent comments made by Israeli players and coaching staff – including inflammatory and wholly inaccurate accusations of anti-Semitism, published on official Israeli Federation channels – that our players will not be partaking in traditional prematch arrangements with our upcoming opponents”.

“This includes exchanging of gifts, formal handshakes before or after the game, while our players will line up for the Irish national anthem by our bench, rather than centre court. Basketball Ireland fully supports our players in their decision.”

And so, when Amhrán na bhFiann echoed around the hall, the Irish players sang it with as much heart as they could muster as they stood by their bench, the Israeli players bellowing out a lusty rendition of their anthem from the centre of the court.

No handshakes, no high-fives, no gift-exchanging, a surreal and sombre sporting contest got under way.

It was beamed live by FIBA on their YouTube channel, wisely, perhaps, the “chat… disabled for this live stream”. There was no commentary, so all we could hear was the squeaking of trainers on the court and the grunts and roars of the players. It felt empty. Which might be how most of the viewers felt too.

“United and Strong” flashed up on those advertising boards which, of course, has been the very opposite of the world’s sporting bodies’ response to events in Gaza. But the world of sport is never shy about putting its competitors in the very worst of situations, like in Riga on Thursday afternoon.

FIBA has promised to have a look at those images of the Israeli basketball team with the IDF, to see if they “contravene our values”. It’s more likely, though, that they’d opt to punish Ireland if they refuse to travel to Israel later this year. That would be the mother of all value-contravening acts, after all.

Israel won. No handshakes, no high-fives from their opponents, but they celebrated heartily, dancing and jigging and waving their flag on court.

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