Bosnia And Herzegovina’s U-21 Men’s Football Team Refused To Shake Hands With Israel’s Team Before Their Game
The incident comes after repeated calls on FIFA and other international sports organizations to ban Israel from competing given its continued genocide in Gaza.
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s U-21 football team refused to shake hands with Israeli players before their UEFA Euro U-21 qualifier match to protest Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
Bosnian players were seen walking past the Israeli team without participating in the traditional pre-match handshake on Monday, March 31.
Bosnia’s U-21 team captain Muhamed Buljubašić said he wanted to set an example and show what Bosnians and “what every reasonable person feels about the current situation unfolding in the world.”
“As the team captain, before yesterday’s match I made it clear with a firm stance that my homeland and my parents never raised me to bend my spine before those who are leading this world toward dishonor and violence,” Buljubašić wrote on Instagram.
The match ended in a 0-0 draw, and Israel failed to qualify for 2026 UEFA Euro.
The incident comes after repeated calls on FIFA and other international sports organizations to ban Israel from competing given its continued genocide in Gaza.
The Palestinian Football Association had previously petitioned FIFA to ban Israel after it filed a complaint that Israeli football competitions discriminated against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
In March 2026, FIFA announced it would only fine Israel’s Football Association (IFA) 150,000 Swiss francs (about US$190,000) for "discrimination and racist abuse" and "offensive behavior and violations of the principles of fair play", according to ESPN.
FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino has said the organization cannot “solve geopolitical conflicts.”
However, FIFA banned Russia from its international competitions, including the World Cup, in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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