Story perspectives

Saied Abu Farchi sent off after gun-corner celebration

By Drooid · Sep 25, 2026, 10:13 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Abu Farchi Sent Off

Saied Abu Farchi was sent off after a corner-flag celebration that mimicked a gun.
He scored Israel’s equaliser in the 55th minute against Austria.
Israel played the remainder with ten men.
Austria won 3-1 with goals by Romano Schmid, Philipp Mwene and Saša Kalajdžic.
Abu Farchi will miss Israel’s next Nations League game against the Republic of Ireland on September 27.

Summary

Irish Coach Boycotts

Irish coach Heimir Hallgrímsson said Ireland will play against genocide, not Israel.
Over 160 Irish sports figures signed an open letter urging a boycott of Israel matches.
UEFA rejected Ireland’s request to avoid future pairings with Israel.
Israel-Ireland games will be played behind closed doors in Debrecen, Hungary and Backa Topola, Serbia.
“Stop the Game” campaign released an open letter signed by over 100 sporting figures demanding match refusals.

History

Historical Context

In 1976, the IOC’s refusal to ban New Zealand after its rugby team toured apartheid South Africa triggered a boycott by 29 nations, led by Congolese official Jean-Claude Ganga, with most African countries withdrawing from the Montreal Games. Current calls to boycott Israel echo that protest, reminding governing bodies of the clash between politics and sport.

1 of 3

Abu Farchi Sent Off

Saied Abu Farchi was sent off after a corner-flag celebration that mimicked a gun.
He scored Israel’s equaliser in the 55th minute against Austria.
Israel played the remainder with ten men.
Austria won 3-1 with goals by Romano Schmid, Philipp Mwene and Saša Kalajdžic.
Abu Farchi will miss Israel’s next Nations League game against the Republic of Ireland on September 27.

1 / 3