Boycotting this week’s fixture against Israel “would mean the end” for the Irish women’s basketball team, Ciara Kelly has said.

It is understood several squad members are refusing to play in the fixtures due to Israel’s ongoing bombardment of Gaza and the deaths of civilians in the enclave since October.

Basketball Ireland, however, is insisting the matches must go ahead, with CEO John Feehan warning that boycotting the fixture would mean “a decade in the wilderness” for women’s basketball in Ireland.

The body is facing severe criticism for its stance from the Irish Sport for Palestine group, which is backed by high-profile Irish sports stars including Keith Earls, James McClean, Kevin Moran and Brian Kerr.

Hundreds of Irish sporting figures have signed the group’s letter calling for a ceasefire in Gaza and urging sporting bodies to become 'Apartheid Free Zones' and boycott Israeli goods.

Claire Rockall of the Irish national women's basketball team in action. Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Ciara told Newstalk Breakfast listeners that the team has been placed in a serious predicament.

“I do feel for Irish basketball, I do,” she said.

“John Feehan has said that it would destroy the sport of basketball for women in this country.

“They would be fined €80,000 now and €100,000 for the return fixture in November.

“He said it would destroy it for a generation to make a gesture that would have no impact.”

Mountain to climb

Ciara said the women’s team has had a mountain to climb to get to the position they are now in.

“They couldn’t get to international games,” she said.

“They are back now and this could mean the end for them – having said that, there are issues where people would say that playing Israel is sports washing.

“The IDF did apparently have machine guns and were patrolling their team practice.”

All smiles as the Israeli basketball team pose with the IDF war machine ahead of Thursday's qualifier against Ireland.

Defying public opinion, this is what Basketball Ireland and its CEO John Feehan have signed up to: Sports-washing Israeli genocide.

John Feehan says boycotting… pic.twitter.com/nLGYrJCfPt

— Irish Sport for Palestine (@Sport4Palestine) February 6, 2024

Newstalk Breakfast co-host Shane Coleman said Israel regularly faces boycotts in international sports.

“It’s a really difficult one and it is worth mentioning that Israel has been boycotted for many years in sport, he said.

“It’s why they play in Europe as a lot of the Middle Eastern countries wouldn’t play Israel in various different sports over the years.

“I can understand why people don’t want the game to go ahead as you can’t separate sports and politics necessarily.”

The Ireland women's basketball team last played in November when they were defeated at home to France on a scoreline of 48 to 100.

Main image: Newstalk Breakfast co-host Ciara Kelly pictured in studio today. Image: Newstalk