They Wouldn't Observe a Moment of Silence, So Israel and Poland's Soccer Teams Did This Instead

Townhall ^ | 11/18/2023 | Matt Vespa

[SeekAndFind]

Israel and Poland’s under-21 national soccer teams played a match on Friday, but its start was interesting. No one played for the first minute of the game. They remained in their starting positions, responding to the Union of European Football Associations’ decision not to hold a moment of silence for the Israelis massacred in the October 7 attacks committed by Hamas. It’s not a good look for UEFA, but the players found a workaround (via The Guardian): 

UEFA refused to organize a minute of silence before the start of the match between #Israel and Poland (under-21 team). In response, the two teams decided not to play the first minute of the match and observe a minute of silence in homage to the victims of #7October pic.twitter.com/wcwojTDBUy— Michael Weingardt (@Michael_Wgd) November 17, 2023

UEFA refused to hold a minute of silence before the match between #Israel and #Poland (Under-21 team).

In response, both teams decided not to play the first minute of the match, observing a minute of silence to honor the victims of #October7th. 🙏🏼pic.twitter.com/U69kd6Qagt— AJC Central Europe (@AJC_CE) November 17, 2023

Israel and Poland’s Under-21 players held their own unauthorised minute’s silence immediately after kick-off on Friday for the victims of the 7 October Hamas attacks. 

The gesture in Lodz came after football governing body Uefa did not approve a moment of remembrance for the game for those affected in last month’s attacks. 

Both sets of players stood in silence after the referee blew his whistle to start the game and no action took place for the opening minute. The players remained in their formational positions rather than congregating in a line for traditional pre-match tributes and there was silence around Stadium LKS. 

Israel would lose the match 2-1. It's still baffling why UEFA wouldn’t allow this, given who was on the field. It’s almost a given.

[Labyrinthos]

Awesome.

[SeekAndFind]

A great action by all the players to take the initiative to deal with the bad move by the UEFA. That’s true sportsmanship from the Polish team. They show, in this case, that those “under 21” have more morals and sense than the supposedly mature adult governing body.

I thought it all the more interesting and maybe even more appropriate, given the history of Lodz ( where the match was played). Lodz was where the Nazis established the second-largest Jewish ghetto in 1939 after they invaded Poland. They put the Jews and Roma in the ghetto, where they used them for forced labor. Many thousands of people had to endure horrible conditions, crammed into a small area, surrounded by barbed wire and Nazi guards.

Many died because of the harsh conditions from overwork and little food. Then, in 1942, the Nazis began deporting the people out to the death camps.

[Rummyfan]

They remained in their starting positions, responding to the Union of European Football Associations’ decision not to hold a moment of silence for the Israelis massacred in the October 7 attacks committed by Hamas.

Typical anti-Semitism by the UEFA. Kudos to the Irish and Polish teams.

[Mears]

..

[lightman]

God allows hope to be renewed!

[Secret Agent Man]

The poles have empathy because they understand genocide against them under Germans and Russians. A long history of it.

[canuck_conservative]

not Irish, Israeli

(isn’t Ireland kinda anti-Israel?)

[chajin]

Am Yisrael Chai!

[Tired of Taxes]

Kudos to the Polish players for standing in solidarity with the Israelis.

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, I agree.

[neverevergiveup]

Awesome.

YES! There is so much Arab money in UEFA right not that they are unlikely to take any stance that could upset that applecart. It's pathetic. God bless those players!

[Reverend Wright]

Typical cowardly disgrace from any EU based organization.

Good for the players to step up.

[Pajamajan]

Good for them observing a minute of silence anyway.

[ETCM]

They show, in this case, that those “under 21” have more morals and sense than the supposedly mature adult governing body.

More likely the coaches of the two teams agreed to it, providing a great lesson to their players and fans on sportsmanship. UEFA is infected with terror supporting islamist money, and they won't be happy that their policy was bypassed.

[metmom]

God bless them.

In light of all the Polish jokes etc, that I heard growing up, I am proud of my Polish heritage.

[FES0844]

Bravo!

[BobL]

I’m PROUD of Poland for that move. Sounds like they’ve had enough of genocide within their borders to tell the soccer federation to SHOVE IT.

[Rummyfan]

(isn’t Ireland kinda anti-Israel?)

Yes. Sadly.

[Deplorable American1776]

It's still baffling why UEFA wouldn’t allow this...

No, not really... it's baffling that people would think that the UEFA would allow it...