Irish snooker great Ken Doherty has been unexpectedly drawn into the controversy surrounding an Israeli footballer accused of celebrating a goal with a gun gesture.
The former world champion, 57, appeared to see the funny side, replying with a laughing-face emoji after footage linked his name to the incident.
Israel forward Sayed Abu Farchi was sent off during the second half of his team’s defeat by Austria after removing the corner flag and appearing to imitate a gunshot.
The celebration stunned supporters, who considered it inappropriate amid the ongoing Israel-Palestine war, in which more than 70,000 people have been killed by Israeli attacks to date.
Israel’s delegation has since argued that Abu Farchi was not mimicking a weapon, but copying the movement of a snooker player.
“We contend that the first yellow card was incorrect and the second, which led to his sending off, stemmed from a misinterpretation by the match referee and the VAR team,” said Shlomi Barzel, Israel’s head of communications.
Irish snooker legend Ken Doherty responded with a laughing emoji after being unexpectedly drawn into the controversy surrounding the Israeli football incident
Israel’s Sayed Abu Farchi was sent off on Thursday after appearing to mimic a gunshot
His manager defended the Colorado Rapids midfielder amid questions over his celebration during the match
“Anybody familiar with Sayed Abu Farchi knows that his celebration after scoring the equaliser was an imitation of a snooker player, such as the legendary Ken Doherty, for example.”
Abu Farchi protested to Bulgarian referee Georgi Kabakov at the time, maintaining that he should have been allowed to remain on the pitch.
However, the midfielder had already been booked. Kabakov showed him a second yellow card, bringing his match to an early end.
Israel manager Ran Ben-Shimon defended the Colorado Rapids player after the match, saying Abu Farchi has repeatedly performed the same celebration without being punished.
“I’ve seen it before and everyone can check,” Ben-Shimon said. “When this young player scores, whether for the Israeli national team, in MLS or anywhere else he plays, he celebrates in exactly the same way again and again, and he never gets a yellow card for it.”
“He didn’t know about it; this is how he celebrates every goal he scores. He’s a young player, and I’m sure this lesson will stay with him for a long time. He made a mistake.”
UEFA’s disciplinary rules, however, indicate that the referee was entitled to issue the second yellow card.
The regulations state that players must be cautioned for “gesturing or acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way”. Removing the corner flag is also an offence punishable by a yellow card.
Israel has already faced intense scrutiny this week, with the country scheduled to play the Republic of Ireland twice during the current international break.
The Israeli FA launched an angry response on social media on Monday after Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson used the word “genocide” while previewing the forthcoming fixtures.
The Icelandic manager used strong language while defending his team ahead of matches against Israel, a side the Football Association of Ireland had sought to have suspended from competitions.
‘And I’ve said before, we’re not playing with genocide, we’re playing against genocide,’ he said at the weekend. ‘So, we’re playing against Israel. We’re not playing with Israel.’
Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson came under fire from the Israel FA for saying his team will be ‘playing against genocide’ this week
As reports circulated that the Israelis were considering a complaint to UEFA, the Israeli FA posted on X on Monday night: ‘We have contributed to the world and humanity in countless fields, earning an impressive number of Nobel Prizes along the way,’ the post on X stated.
‘Unfortunately, we have not yet found a cure for stupidity, ignorance and hypocrisy displayed by the Republic of Ireland team coach.
‘We’re not playing with ignorance, hypocrisy and stupidity, we’re playing against the coach who embodies them.’
The matches will take place at neutral venues on Sunday and then again on October 4.
Second-choice Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has pulled out of the clash and insisted he isn’t against Israelis or Jews – but against the atrocities in Gaza.
After a tense day where the match was plunged into doubt, Bazunu wrote on Instagram: ‘Representing my country means everything to me.
‘I have the utmost respect for every single one of my teammates, the manager, his staff and the Irish people.
Ireland goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu has withdrawn from the squad for the clash with Israel
‘However, I have reached a decision that I have not taken lightly. I am a man of strong faith and try my best to be a person of character and principle, therefore I feel it would be wrong to participate in the upcoming fixtures against Israel.
‘My decision is based purely upon my belief that the killing of innocent people is wrong. It is important to note that my stance is not in opposition to the Israeli people or the Jewish community but against the atrocities in the region.
‘There are few times when you get a chance in life to stand for something bigger and I strongly believe that this is one of them.’
A source close to the player told The Mail on Sunday the Dubliner’s family is proud of him for standing up for his beliefs.
‘Gavin is a hero,’ they said. ´What he’s done took great courage. His family is proud.’
