Israeli Team Snubbed in the Pre-Game, But by the Final Buzzer Their Opponents Are Utterly Humiliated

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The EuroBasket 2025 qualifier between Ireland and Israel witnessed a pre-game controversy in the capital of Latvia, Riga, on Thursday.

Amid the fallout from leftist protests against Israel’s war against the terrorist group Hamas in Gaza, the Irish women’s basketball team opted not to participate in traditional pre-match rituals.

But the game’s result showed who the real winners were.

Prior to Thursday’s match, Basketball Ireland, the sport’s governing body in the country, issued a statement notifying the International Basketball Federation (known by its French acronym FIBA) of its intention to refrain from customary pre-game sportsmanship gestures with the Israeli team.

Specifically, the Irish players would not participate in handshakes or gift exchanges with their Israeli counterparts before or after the game, according to Fox News.

Additionally, Ireland lined up along the sideline for its national anthem rather than gathering with Israel’s team at center court.

The Irish team cited comments made by an Israeli player, Dor Saar, in an official Israeli Basketball Association interview as the reason for the open insult to the Israeli team.

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