Scotland Players Have Not Discussed Boycott of Israel Matches
Scotland's women's national football team will face Israel in consecutive World Cup qualifying matches held in Hungary. Midfielder Christy Grimshaw confirmed that the Scotland squad has not discussed boycotting these fixtures.
Both the home and away qualifiers between Scotland and Israel are scheduled to take place behind closed doors at a neutral venue in Hungary. This arrangement follows a ruling by UEFA, the European football governing body, which prohibited matches from being played in Israel due to security concerns.
The Scottish Football Association (SFA) clarified that the decision to hold both matches at a neutral site aligns with the arrangements for other teams in Group B4. The SFA also emphasized that refusing to participate would result in forfeiting the points for those games.
Meanwhile, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) is confronting a motion supported by the Irish Professional Footballers' Association (PFAI) that could compel the men's national team to withdraw from Nations League fixtures against Israel later in the year.
When asked on Tuesday whether the Scotland squad had considered not playing, Grimshaw stated:
"Honestly, no.
We are obviously aware of all the situations with the Irish players as well with Israel.
Ultimately, we have to let the people who are in charge of these situations - the governing bodies who decide these things - decide.
We, as players, have been put in a situation where it's the Israel game at a neutral venue and that's all we can do.
Is it the best circumstances surrounding it? Of course not, because we are aware of everything else that's going on and we feel for that as humans.
However, right now we have to adapt to the situation and play football. That's our role and that's all we can do."
Grimshaw has recently been recalled to the Scotland squad after a two-year absence due to recovery from a knee injury.
Regarding whether she had personally considered declining the call-up for the Israel fixtures, the AC Milan midfielder explained her perspective as both a person and a player:
"I'm a human and a footballer - two separate people.
But it's a long time I've been out and, when the national team calls, as a footballer I would never say no to my national team."
Grimshaw acknowledged that playing in an empty stadium is far from ideal. The matches are set to take place at the Bozsik Arena in Budapest on Friday without spectators.
"We'd love to be playing in Scotland, but we just have to play the role we've been given and that's to perform and adapt in the best way we can," she said.
"We're human, we are aware, but we can't change it. We are footballers and have a job to do - and it's to get six points in these two games."
Currently, Scotland leads Group B4 on goal difference ahead of Belgium, who will play their double-header against the group’s bottom-ranked team, Luxembourg.
