Bosnia and Herzegovina's Under-21 footballers made a remarkable statement of protest before their 2027 UEFA European Under-21 Championship Qualifying Group G match against Israel on Tuesday, at BSC Stadium in Budaörs, Hungary.

 

During the pre-match ceremony, the majority of Bosnian players shook hands with the referees but walked straight past the Israeli players, declining to greet them. A video of the defiance went viral on social media.

 

 

The match, played on neutral ground in Hungary, ended in a 0-0 draw.

 

The gesture reflects growing global pushback against Israeli athletes as anger mounts over the genocide in Gaza. 

 

At least 73,188 Palestinians have been reported killed in Gaza, according to multiple media reports.

 

Israeli teams have faced similar protests at sporting events across multiple countries since the genocide in Gaza began in October 2023.