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FAI says a 'significant majority' voted to play Israel; The 42 says five more players wavered

Ireland's squad voted in Hungary on Saturday to play Israel on Sunday. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu left the squad. The FAI will not say how many players objected, and opposition TDs want the Government to stop the match.

Gavin Bazunu was not one of 30 Ireland players contacted by FAI about thoughts on playing Israel
Gavin Bazunu was not one of 30 Ireland players contacted by FAI about thoughts on playing Israel as published by TheJournal.ie · seen at TheJournal.ie
Anglosphere Ireland Israel

The vote. Ireland's squad voted in Debrecen, Hungary, on Saturday to play Israel in the Nations League on Sunday. FAI chief executive David Courell says "a significant majority" wanted to play. He would not give the number.

The walkout. RTÉ News and TheJournal.ie say flatly that goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu told the manager he would not play. The Independent names him with a hedge. The Guardian's Press Association copy names no one.

Outlet How many objected Bazunu
FAI statement "players shared different views" not named
The Independent (AP copy) "1 player leaves" "reportedly"
The Independent (sport desk) "others considered joining him" "understands"
TheJournal.ie "as many as five other players began to waver" named flatly
The Guardian (PA copy) "a majority" "speculation"

The politics. RTÉ reports that Labour's Ciarán Ahern and the Social Democrats' Daniel Ennis asked the Government to stop the match. Sinn Féin's Joanna Byrne says the FAI should "hang their heads in shame". The Department of Culture, Communications and Sport says the FAI is independent.

Not settled. - The vote count. Courell: "Significant majority can be open to interpretation." - Whether Bazunu was consulted. The FAI asked about 30 players; Courell said "I don't believe he was." - Whether more players withdraw. Hallgrímsson expects "more discussions tonight and probably tomorrow". - None of the reports we hold quotes an Israeli player or official on the vote.

This story is about whether Ireland's men's football team should play Israel while the war in Gaza goes on.

How it got here. Israel has been at war in Gaza since the Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel on 7 October 2023. Ireland's government has been among the most critical in Europe of how Israel has fought that war. It recognised the State of Palestine in May 2024. Israel plays European football under UEFA, the body that runs the Nations League. The draw put Ireland and Israel in the same group. AP reports that protests began with the draw in February. The FAI asked UEFA last November to exclude Israel from its competitions. UEFA did not pass that motion. In June the FAI moved Ireland's home game to a neutral venue, with no fans, for "operational reasons". Both games are closed to Irish fans: Sunday's in Debrecen, Hungary, and the second in Backa Topola, Serbia, on 4 October.

Who is in it. - The FAI board decided to play and says the decision is its own. It argues that a boycott risks UEFA sanctions. Ireland is co-hosting the 2028 European Championship. - The players carry the public pressure. More than 160 Irish sportspeople signed an open letter urging the FAI to think again. - Opposition parties in the Dáil, Ireland's lower house, want the Government to step in. - The Government says sporting bodies are independent and that UEFA should decide such questions. - Israel's football federation reacted angrily to the Ireland coach's earlier remarks.

What is at stake. A refusal to play risks warnings or fines from UEFA. The former Ireland manager Brian Kerr argues that playing goes against the FAI's own motion to UEFA.

Where it stands. The match is due to go ahead on Sunday. The players plan to wear black armbands and to sit out parts of the pre-match ceremony. One player has left the squad.

What is being argued about

  • How many Ireland players voted against playing Israel
  • Whether Gavin Bazunu was ever consulted by the FAI
  • Opposition calls for the Government to stop the match
  • The Government's line that the FAI is independent
One vote, five accounts of who objectedSide by side
OutletWhat it says about the objectorsIs Bazunu named?
The Independent (AP copy)"1 player leaves"Named, "reportedly"
The Independent (sport desk)"others considered joining him"Named, as what it "understands"
TheJournal.ie"as many as five other players began to waver"Named flatly
RTÉ News"many players may continue to reflect", quoting Labour's Ciarán AhernNamed flatly
The Guardian (PA copy)"players shared different views"Not named; "speculation"
No report gives the vote count.
Sources The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel games as pressure to boycott grows, 1 player leaves Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland to play controversial Israel Nations League fixtures after player vote Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → T TheJournal.ie
Centre estimate · not a score
TheJournal.ie 🇮🇪IE · digital · Gavin Bazunu was not one of 30 Ireland players contacted by FAI about thoughts on playing Israel Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at TheJournal.ie → What we have measured Accuracy of attribution The report calls the Tánaiste the Taoiseach partway through. That puts his words under another office. ×1Accusation carried without a reply a charge against a named party, no answer from it in the text held ×1Actor labelling calls the accusers 'opposition parties' when the named accuser is the deputy First Minister ×1Actor mislabelled The first line calls the accusers 'opposition parties', but the accuser quoted is the DUP deputy First Minister, who sits in the same executive ×1 from 2218 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Opposition parties call on Government to stop Israel game Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel matches despite ‘different views’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Guardian → What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
Saturday in Debrecen, as reportedTimeline
  1. 2026-09-2608:15 scheduled time given by The Guardian and The Independent (10.15am local) FAI Pre-match press conference due; it is postponedTraining 45 minutes later also missed
  2. 2026-09-2608:29 published RTÉ News Press conference delayed as squad set to issue statement
  3. 2026-09-2608:50 published TheJournal.ie Confusion as the FAI postpones the press conference
  4. 2026-09-26— no time published Players Meetings in the team hotel, then a vote over four hoursper TheJournal.ie
  5. 2026-09-2614:40 published The Independent FAI statement: "a majority" want to playBazunu named as refusing
  6. 2026-09-2615:12 published RTÉ News Labour and Social Democrat TDs ask the Government to stop the game
  7. 2026-09-2616:07 published TheJournal.ie Courell: "I don't believe" Bazunu was consulted about 30 players consulted
Times are UTC. Debrecen is two hours ahead.
Sources The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel matches despite ‘different views’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Guardian → What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland to play controversial Israel Nations League fixtures after player vote Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Press conference delayed as squad set to issue statement Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → T TheJournal.ie
Centre estimate · not a score
TheJournal.ie 🇮🇪IE · digital · Confusion as FAI postpone pre-match press conference ahead of expected players' statement Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at TheJournal.ie → What we have measured Accuracy of attribution The report calls the Tánaiste the Taoiseach partway through. That puts his words under another office. ×1Accusation carried without a reply a charge against a named party, no answer from it in the text held ×1Actor labelling calls the accusers 'opposition parties' when the named accuser is the deputy First Minister ×1Actor mislabelled The first line calls the accusers 'opposition parties', but the accuser quoted is the DUP deputy First Minister, who sits in the same executive ×1 from 2218 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → T TheJournal.ie
Centre estimate · not a score
TheJournal.ie 🇮🇪IE · digital · Gavin Bazunu was not one of 30 Ireland players contacted by FAI about thoughts on playing Israel Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at TheJournal.ie → What we have measured Accuracy of attribution The report calls the Tánaiste the Taoiseach partway through. That puts his words under another office. ×1Accusation carried without a reply a charge against a named party, no answer from it in the text held ×1Actor labelling calls the accusers 'opposition parties' when the named accuser is the deputy First Minister ×1Actor mislabelled The first line calls the accusers 'opposition parties', but the accuser quoted is the DUP deputy First Minister, who sits in the same executive ×1 from 2218 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Opposition parties call on Government to stop Israel game Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
The bias in this coverageBias

One goalkeeper, three levels of certainty

Two reports say flat that Bazunu withdrew. Two name him but hedge it with 'reportedly' or 'understands'. One names no one and calls it speculation.

2 reports naming him flat 2 reports naming him with a hedge 1 reports naming no player

A majority nobody counted

Every report that gives the result relies on the association's words, 'a majority' or 'a significant majority'. No report gives a number. Only one prints the chief executive's refusal to give it.

0 reports giving the vote tally 4 reports using only the association's wording
Scored without the mastheads. Where the two passes differ, both are kept.
Sources T TheJournal.ie
Centre estimate · not a score
TheJournal.ie 🇮🇪IE · digital · Gavin Bazunu was not one of 30 Ireland players contacted by FAI about thoughts on playing Israel Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at TheJournal.ie → What we have measured Accuracy of attribution The report calls the Tánaiste the Taoiseach partway through. That puts his words under another office. ×1Accusation carried without a reply a charge against a named party, no answer from it in the text held ×1Actor labelling calls the accusers 'opposition parties' when the named accuser is the deputy First Minister ×1Actor mislabelled The first line calls the accusers 'opposition parties', but the accuser quoted is the DUP deputy First Minister, who sits in the same executive ×1 from 2218 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → T TheJournal.ie
Centre estimate · not a score
TheJournal.ie 🇮🇪IE · digital · Confusion as FAI postpone pre-match press conference ahead of expected players' statement Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at TheJournal.ie → What we have measured Accuracy of attribution The report calls the Tánaiste the Taoiseach partway through. That puts his words under another office. ×1Accusation carried without a reply a charge against a named party, no answer from it in the text held ×1Actor labelling calls the accusers 'opposition parties' when the named accuser is the deputy First Minister ×1Actor mislabelled The first line calls the accusers 'opposition parties', but the accuser quoted is the DUP deputy First Minister, who sits in the same executive ×1 from 2218 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel games as pressure to boycott grows, 1 player leaves Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland make final decision on Israel match after four-hour player meeting Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland to play controversial Israel Nations League fixtures after player vote Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel matches despite ‘different views’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Guardian → What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Opposition parties call on Government to stop Israel game Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Confusion in Hungary as players hold meeting - updates Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Press conference delayed as squad set to issue statement Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →

Claims and verdicts

unverified Bazunu was not among the roughly 30 players the FAI consulted before deciding to play.
Only TheJournal.ie reports this. Its evidence is Courell saying 'I can't say for a fact. I don't believe he was.'
Checked against 1 source:
T TheJournal.ie
Centre estimate · not a score
TheJournal.ie 🇮🇪IE · digital · Gavin Bazunu was not one of 30 Ireland players contacted by FAI about thoughts on playing Israel Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at TheJournal.ie → What we have measured Accuracy of attribution The report calls the Tánaiste the Taoiseach partway through. That puts his words under another office. ×1Accusation carried without a reply a charge against a named party, no answer from it in the text held ×1Actor labelling calls the accusers 'opposition parties' when the named accuser is the deputy First Minister ×1Actor mislabelled The first line calls the accusers 'opposition parties', but the accuser quoted is the DUP deputy First Minister, who sits in the same executive ×1 from 2218 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
unverified A 'significant majority' of the Ireland squad voted to play Israel.
The Guardian, The Independent, TheJournal.ie and RTÉ News all carry this, but every one of them relies on the FAI's statement or on chief executive David Courell. Courell refused to give the numbers, so it is one account with no count behind it.
Checked against 5 sources:
The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel matches despite ‘different views’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Guardian → What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland to play controversial Israel Nations League fixtures after player vote Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel games as pressure to boycott grows, 1 player leaves Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → T TheJournal.ie
Centre estimate · not a score
TheJournal.ie 🇮🇪IE · digital · Gavin Bazunu was not one of 30 Ireland players contacted by FAI about thoughts on playing Israel Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at TheJournal.ie → What we have measured Accuracy of attribution The report calls the Tánaiste the Taoiseach partway through. That puts his words under another office. ×1Accusation carried without a reply a charge against a named party, no answer from it in the text held ×1Actor labelling calls the accusers 'opposition parties' when the named accuser is the deputy First Minister ×1Actor mislabelled The first line calls the accusers 'opposition parties', but the accuser quoted is the DUP deputy First Minister, who sits in the same executive ×1 from 2218 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Opposition parties call on Government to stop Israel game Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
true Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu withdrew from the squad because he did not want to play Israel.
TheJournal.ie and RTÉ News say so directly, and The Independent reports it as what it 'understands'. The FAI did not name the player but confirmed that one player had withdrawn over the fixture.
Checked against 4 sources:
T TheJournal.ie
Centre estimate · not a score
TheJournal.ie 🇮🇪IE · digital · Gavin Bazunu was not one of 30 Ireland players contacted by FAI about thoughts on playing Israel Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at TheJournal.ie → What we have measured Accuracy of attribution The report calls the Tánaiste the Taoiseach partway through. That puts his words under another office. ×1Accusation carried without a reply a charge against a named party, no answer from it in the text held ×1Actor labelling calls the accusers 'opposition parties' when the named accuser is the deputy First Minister ×1Actor mislabelled The first line calls the accusers 'opposition parties', but the accuser quoted is the DUP deputy First Minister, who sits in the same executive ×1 from 2218 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Opposition parties call on Government to stop Israel game Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel games as pressure to boycott grows, 1 player leaves Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland to play controversial Israel Nations League fixtures after player vote Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →

Who wrote it

C Ciaran Fahey The Independent
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Certainty on the withdrawal hedged, player named×1
Description of gaza the report's own voice uses a vague phrase; the stronger words appear only inside quotes×1
How the Gaza war is described in the report's the neutral word 'actions'×1
Israeli voice the only Israeli voice across the reports is the federation's reply to the coach×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 unverified1 true
From 5 reports we hold under this byline, at The Independent, CBC News. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
F Fiachra Ó Cionnaith RTÉ News
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Certainty on the withdrawal stated flat, player named×1
Measure chosen annual payment converted to a weekly sum and set against campaigners' figure×1
The gap is left unexplained ban under 13, safe design 15 to 18, nothing said about 13 to 15×1
What is left out gives the ban age and the safe-design band, leaving the 13-to-15 band unmentioned×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 misleading2 unverified3 true
From 32 reports we hold under this byline, at RTÉ News. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
R Rachel Steinberg The Independent · 2 reports on this story
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes×1
No actor named protesters not named, counted or quoted×1
Player named as acting names the goalkeeper and says others wavered, on its own sourcing×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
2 unverified3 true
From 31 reports we hold under this byline, at The Independent. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
A Anthony Pyne RTÉ News
No independent reading has coded a report under this byline yet. We do not infer a journalist's views from the outlet that employs them.
From 10 reports we hold under this byline, at RTÉ News. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
T Tony O'Donoghue RTÉ News
No independent reading has coded a report under this byline yet. We do not infer a journalist's views from the outlet that employs them.
From 1 report we hold under this byline, at RTÉ News. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
The bylines on the reports this story is built from. Hover one for what our passes have measured on their reporting. · 3 reports we hold carry no byline — we do not invent one.

Coverage, outlet by outlet

T TheJournal.ie
Centre estimate · not a score
TheJournal.ie 🇮🇪IE · digital · Gavin Bazunu was not one of 30 Ireland players contacted by FAI about thoughts on playing Israel Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at TheJournal.ie → What we have measured Accuracy of attribution The report calls the Tánaiste the Taoiseach partway through. That puts his words under another office. ×1Accusation carried without a reply a charge against a named party, no answer from it in the text held ×1Actor labelling calls the accusers 'opposition parties' when the named accuser is the deputy First Minister ×1Actor mislabelled The first line calls the accusers 'opposition parties', but the accuser quoted is the DUP deputy First Minister, who sits in the same executive ×1 from 2218 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → —
The only report to say Bazunu was not among the roughly 30 players the FAI consulted, and that as many as five others wavered.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more. An editorial note re: The 42’s reporting on the Uefa Nations League matches between Ireland and Israel is available to read here. GAVIN BAZUNU WAS not asked about his feelings on playing Israel before he was called into the Republic of Ireland squad. The Dubliner went to manager Heimir Hallgrímsson this morning to declare that he did not want to be involved. What followed was an unprecedented and chaotic day in Debrecen as players were locked in meetings for over four hours. A poll was then conducted among the squad about
Measure withheld: the vote count is refused on the record, and the report prints the refusal — “Significant majority can be open to interpretation.”
Evaluation stated flat: an unattributed judgement of the day — “What followed was an unprecedented and chaotic day in Debrecen”
Figure withheld: the report says outright that no vote tally was given — “Courell stated a ‘significant majority’ wanted to play the game but would not state the exact number”
Read it at TheJournal.ie → https://www.thejournal.ie/bazunu-ireland-israel-2-7174561-Sep2026/
The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel games as pressure to boycott grows, 1 player leaves Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Carries the armbands, the charity pledge and the Israeli federation's reply to the Ireland coach.
News Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel games as pressure to boycott grows, 1 player leaves Pressure to boycott upcoming Nations League games against Israel over that country’s actions in Gaza has taken its toll on the Ireland team with players ultimately putting their participation to a vote Ciaran Fahey Saturday 26 September 2026 16:45 BST Bookmark Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks Close popover Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel games as pressure to boycott grows, 1 player leaves Show all 3 Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your
Certainty on the withdrawal: hedged, player named — “Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu reportedly told the team Friday night that he did not want to play.”
Description of gaza: the report's own voice uses a vague phrase; the stronger words appear only inside quotes — “over that country’s actions in Gaza”
Israeli voice: the only Israeli voice across the reports is the federation's reply to the coach — “accused the Icelandic coach of “stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy.””
How the Gaza war is described in the report's: the neutral word 'actions' — “over that country’s actions in Gaza”
Israeli voice: the only Israeli voice in any report, and it is carried as a reaction — “drawing a furious reaction from the Israeli soccer federation”
Read it at The Independent → https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ireland-football-association-of-irel…
R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Opposition parties call on Government to stop Israel game Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — PUBLIC
The only report to carry the Dáil opposition's calls to stop the match and the Government's reply that the FAI is independent.
Opposition parties call on Government to intervene and stop Ireland v Israel game Updated / Saturday, 26 Sep 2026 17:24 The Republic of Ireland squad have voted in favour of fulfilling Sunday's UEFA Nations League fixture away to Israel Fiachra Ó Cionnaith By Fiachra Ó Cionnaith Opposition parties have called on Government to intervene to stop Sunday's UEFA Nations League football match between the Republic of Ireland and Israel due to the "unfair pressure players and management are currently under". Labour TD Ciarán Ahern and Social Democrats TD Daniel Ennis made the request in separate state
Certainty on the withdrawal: stated flat, player named — “goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu said he did not want to play the match”
Read it at RTÉ News → https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2026/0926/1593068-ireland-israel-match/
The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland make final decision on Israel match after four-hour player meeting Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Read it at The Independent → https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/sport/ireland-vs-israel-nations-…
The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel matches despite ‘different views’ Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Guardian → What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Names no player; carries the refusal only as Saturday-morning speculation.
The Republic of Ireland head coach, Heimir Hallgrímsson (left), and the FAI CEO, David Courell, confer during the delayed press conference. Photograph: Ben McShane/Sportsfile/Getty Images View image in fullscreen The Republic of Ireland head coach, Heimir Hallgrímsson (left), and the FAI CEO, David Courell, confer during the delayed press conference. Photograph: Ben McShane/Sportsfile/Getty Images Nations League Ireland players vote to go ahead with Israel matches despite ‘different views’ Scheduled press conference and training session delayed Irish FA admits ‘players shared different views’
Certainty on the withdrawal: left as speculation, no player named — “speculation on Saturday morning that a player had refused to play in the match”
Player left unnamed: the withdrawal is carried only as morning speculation — “speculation on Saturday morning that a player had refused to play in the match”
Read it at The Guardian → https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/sep/26/ireland-players-vote-t…
The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Ireland to play controversial Israel Nations League fixtures after player vote Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
Says on its own sourcing that Bazunu refused to play as others considered joining him.
Sport Football Ireland to play controversial Israel Nations League fixtures after player vote Ireland’s match against Israel on Sunday will go ahead as scheduled Rachel Steinberg & Miguel DelaneySaturday 26 September 2026 15:40 BST Bookmark Comments Go to comments Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks Close popover Ireland manager reveals result of vote among squad ahead of match against Israel Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today. Join today Already a mem
Player named as acting: names the goalkeeper and says others wavered, on its own sourcing — “Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu refused to play as others considered joining him”
Read it at The Independent → https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/ireland-israel-nations-lea…
R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Confusion in Hungary as players hold meeting - updates Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — PUBLIC
Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrimsson faces the media in Debrecen, Hungary ahead of tomorrow's Nations League clash against Israel. Follow the latest updates here.
Read it at RTÉ News → https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2026/0926/1593047-confusion-in-hungary-…
T TheJournal.ie
Centre estimate · not a score
TheJournal.ie 🇮🇪IE · digital · Confusion as FAI postpone pre-match press conference ahead of expected players' statement Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at TheJournal.ie → What we have measured Accuracy of attribution The report calls the Tánaiste the Taoiseach partway through. That puts his words under another office. ×1Accusation carried without a reply a charge against a named party, no answer from it in the text held ×1Actor labelling calls the accusers 'opposition parties' when the named accuser is the deputy First Minister ×1Actor mislabelled The first line calls the accusers 'opposition parties', but the accuser quoted is the DUP deputy First Minister, who sits in the same executive ×1 from 2218 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → —
Reported on Saturday morning that the players had met on Friday to draft a statement on their stance.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more. An editorial note re: The 42’s reporting on the Uefa Nations League matches between Ireland and Israel is available to read here. THE FAI HAVE risked a fine from Uefa after blind siding the governing body by announcing a delay of over two hours to the pre-match conference ahead of the Israel game in Hungary. Republic of Ireland boss Heimir Hallgrímsson and a player were due to speak to the media at 9.15am Irish time. However, 15 minutes before it was due to start a message came through from the association that it would ha
Read it at TheJournal.ie → https://www.thejournal.ie/ireland-israel-uefa-nations-league-2-2-717432…
R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC Press conference delayed as squad set to issue statement Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at RTÉ News → What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — PUBLIC
First to report the FAI's confirmation of the vote at the Debrecen press conference.
Read it at RTÉ News → https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2026/0926/1593043-press-conference-dela…
Checked, didn’t cover
T The Irish Times
Centre estimate · not a score
The Irish Times 🇮🇪IE · digital · No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Actor framing The release is framed as a joint agreement, with no pressure mentioned ×1Actor named Names the residents as the ones who blocked the road ×1Actor named killers named as 'loyalist gunmen'; verb 'shot dead' ×1With no actor named construction no actor named for the theft or the driving in the standfirst ×1 from 1358 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RNZ
Centre estimate · not a score
RNZ 🇳🇿NZ · digital · PUBLIC No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Headline against body headline claims a 20-year decline reversed; the first line of the body reports a new low in reading ×1Headline against body headline claims a turnaround; the text carries a record low and puts it on boys ×1 from 2328 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → ABC News (Australia)
Centre estimate · not a score
ABC News (Australia) 🇦🇺AU · public broadcaster · public-service No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Actor label and hedge The same man is called 'far-right' and named by his legal name. The act is hedged with 'allegedly', where the longer report states it flat. ×1A different count, stated flat one dead and 140 missing, unattributed, earliest of the four ×1Affected counted The only report to count the local people affected ×1Are the dead named one of the dead named, through a relative at the hospital ×1 from 4667 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → C CBC News
Centre-left estimate · not a score
CBC News 🇨🇦CA · public broadcaster · public-service No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Asserted vs attributed the measure is attributed to the three governments; the territory is called occupied in the outlet's own voice ×1Attribution kept in the headline the sourcing travels with the claim into the headline ×1Figure rounded in the headline more than 600 in the headline; the body sources it to a flight-tracking site ×1How the sourcing is hedged the claim is hedged to an unnamed newspaper in both headline and body; the reporting is not held by this report ×1 from 2730 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
Silence is recorded, not inferred — each of these was read when we built this story and carried nothing on this event.
We could not read these
BBC News
Centre estimate · not a score
BBC News 🇬🇧UK · public broadcaster · public-service No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Dating and attribution 'It was not until Tuesday' is a judgement about delay, not a date. No other report we hold comments on how long the German finding took. ×1How hard the claim is stated Headline says the UN voted to adopt and replace; the last sentence of the report says the vote is non-binding ×1How hard the claim is stated The qualification arrives in the last sentence and is immediately overridden by an effect the report gives no source for. ×1Which figure is used States the replacement as done — the Assembly voted to replace the map — where the resolution urges states to use a different projection. ×1 from 473 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Daily Telegraph
Right estimate · not a score
The Daily Telegraph 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Nothing scored yet. We do not carry a rating for any outlet — only what we have measured from published text. Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Times
Centre-right estimate · not a score
The Times 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Nothing scored yet. We do not carry a rating for any outlet — only what we have measured from published text. Outlet profile in The AI Times →
These are must-cite outlets for this desk that we did not manage to read when we built this story. That is a gap in our reach, not a silence on their part, and it is not evidence of anything about this story.

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