Ireland Women’s Wheelchair basketball team to face Israel in qualifiers for European Championships

A fundraiser to raise money for the Irish team does not mention that the team will be playing Israel.

The Irish Wheelchair Association (IWA) is the national governing body for Irish Wheelchair Basketball. The IWA Board of Directors retains the overall responsibility for Irish Wheelchair Basketball's participation in all international competitions throughout the year.

"The Irish women's wheelchair basketball team has qualified to compete in the European Championships in October, an officially sanctioned international competition where all participating nations and athletes are eligible to compete under the rules of the relevant international federation," a spokesperson for the Irish Wheelchair Association told JOE.

"The IWA Board of Directors voted unanimously to approve the Irish Women's Wheelchair Basketball team's participation at the European Championships, which will include Israel among the competing countries.

The decision to participate at the European Championships was not taken lightly. IWA-Sport's primary responsibility is for the empowerment, welfare and sporting opportunity of para-athletes."

This will be Ireland's first ever women's basketball team to compete at an international basketball tournament.

Israel is not in Europe but has competed in European basketball competitions for years.

Irish Sport for Palestine has called for a boycott for all Irish teams to boycott playing Israeli national teams amid the ongoing genocide in Gaza.

Irish Wheelchair Rugby were drawn against Israel in the European Championship this year. Player Alan Dineen announced that he will boycott the game against Israel and made the following statement: “I am boycotting the game against Israel because I cannot separate sport from the reality of what is happening in Gaza and Palestine."

Last year, Israel filed a complaint after the UK wheelchair basketball players turned their backs during ‘Hativkah’.