Israeli basketball team wins after Irish team refuses to shake hands

An Israeli women's basketball team beat Ireland 87 to 57 in the first game of the 2025 Women's EuroBasket qualifier in Riga on Thursday evening, a game in which sport was overshadowed by politics when the Irish team refused to shake hands with their Israeli counterparts.

The Israeli Basketball Association (IBBA) said on social media that the victory came "despite the lack of sportsmanship of the visiting team."

"Basketball Ireland fully supports our players in their decision," the national governing body for basketball in Ireland said in a statement.

Ireland's team refuses to associate with Israel's team

The statement by Basketball Ireland detailed that it informed the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) on Wednesday that its players would not be exchanging gifts or formal handshakes before or after the game, and that players would line up by the bench rather than at center court for the playing of their anthem.

The move came in response to comments made by Israeli players and published by IBBA that included "inflammatory and wholly inaccurate accusations of antisemitism."

IBBA published an interview with Israeli basketball player Dor Saar on Tuesday in which she touched on the behavior and statements of the Irish team.

"It's known that they are quite antisemitic and it's no secret, and maybe that's why a strong game is expected," said Saar. "We have to show that we're better than them and win. We talk about it among ourselves, we know they don't like us and we will always leave everything on the field and in this game especially."

Anti-Israel statements made by Ireland's basketball team since October 7 

Basketball Ireland had put out two statements to address its games with Israel, including one that appeared to address the calls on social media to boycott the event over the October 7 War.

On January 25, they shared that they had expressed "strong concerns" to FIBA Europe about the games with Israel and raised the option of not playing the games. The federation reportedly responded that Ireland would be subject to a fine of €100,000 and barred from the Women’s EuroBasket 2025 and 2027 Qualifiers.

"We are all very concerned about the events unfolding in Gaza and are extremely sympathetic to the dreadful situation that people are having to deal with," said Basketball Ireland, but that it "remains obliged to fulfill the fixture on February 8th."

The Thursday game was held in Latvia -- who Israel will be playing next on Sunday -- because of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

"It's always great fun and a great honor to represent the country, certainly during a period like this," Saar told the IBBA on Tuesday. "I'm very excited and ready for this mission. Since October 7th, our lives have all changed, so since then it's important to represent our country with dignity, fight on the field, and show that we are good and capable, and I believe that we can do it."