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Boycotting a football match is about as low-effort an act of resistance as you could imagine when opposing an ongoing genocide.

You’d think.

That said, at least you can have conversations like this on national television in Ireland and have viewpoints like this aired.

#israel #genocide #Gaza #Palestine #Ireland #football

This entry was edited (2 weeks ago)

craignicol reshared this.

in reply to Aral Balkan

wow I'm kind of impressed still. even in my wildest dreams this kind of commentary would never happen on French national TV, because of censorship and their spineless "journalists". so ashamed of my country...

Aral Balkan reshared this.

in reply to Aral Balkan

Just wow. Would absolutely not happen in Germany. Probably wouldn't even mention why balls were thrown.

Aral Balkan reshared this.

in reply to Aral Balkan

Well done RTE Sport.
Hope the BBC are watching...
#BBC
#RTE
#BBC #rte
This entry was edited (2 weeks ago)
in reply to Tim Stickland

@sticklandtim Oh, I’m sure they are: and implementing additional checks to ensure something like this can’t ever happen on their propaganda – sorry – I mean programmes.
in reply to Aral Balkan

It feels so good to hear this. It is the only normal, most logical, most humane response in this setting. Too sad these voices in the public arena are so rare.
in reply to Aral Balkan

I was expecting the usual "don't mix sports with politics", but this was very refreshing. Hope more sports and non-sports programs follow suit.
in reply to Aral Balkan

Ireland, a living conscience. When the simplest acts become a bulwark against forgetting. Boycotting a match is a message that the blood of Gaza is more precious than any festival. Peace be upon Ireland, the voice of truth in a time of betrayal✌️🔥 I love Ireland🤍🕊️ #GazaDiesAndWins #Humanity
in reply to Aral Balkan

Fabulous interview, even for those like me who do not care about sports.
in reply to Aral Balkan

👍👍👍

They only missed the chance to answer the question about keeping football and politics separate with "that's a great idea. The thing is, being friendly towards Israel as things are right now IS politics".

in reply to Leeloo

@leeloo Yep. But having been in the position quite a few times, you don’t always manage to say everything when in the middle of an interview. Number of times I’ve kicked myself for forgetting to saying something after the fact.
in reply to Aral Balkan

You don't need to tell me. I walk away from almost every conversation realising "crap, I should have said..."

Never put me in a situation where I have to be part of an interview.

in reply to Aral Balkan

Wow. So glad I listened. Richie: so impressive. All of them! 🙏🏻👍
in reply to Aral Balkan

very reasonable comments, I didn't know that was even possible in a football commentary. So refreshing. In the Netherlands this is unheard of. All football TV shows here are run by toxic older white men who would just condemn the tennis ball throwers and probably suggest to hand them over to the Israelis. The Irish are so much better...

Aral Balkan reshared this.

in reply to Geogoeroe

@geogoeroe
in England the commentator would probably be smeared as being antisemitic and lose his job.
Ireland has become much more progressive and enlightened than backwards little England with its flagshaggers and national front Reform party.

#FreePalestine #IsraelTerroristState

in reply to Aral Balkan

Trying to imagine sports commentators in Australia having even 10% of that dialogue.

If more than two sentences in favour of a boycott got broadcast and weren't immediately dismissed or talked-over by a chuckle-fuck corporate-mouthpiece commentator I'd be shocked.

#AusPol #AusSports #MurdochMedia

Aral Balkan reshared this.

in reply to Aral Balkan

I couldn’t find this clip on RTÉ, does anyone have any information on who the three people are? Former players? Sports journalists?
in reply to Magnus Ahltorp

@ahltorp Former players, Richie Sadlier and Stephen Kelly. Here is the clip on RTÉ Sport's YouTube channel. youtu.be/5CsbmCZjq30