01.04.2026 23:07
Some players of the Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 National Football Team did not shake hands with Israeli players during the ceremony of the 2027 UEFA U21 Championship Qualifiers Group G match to protest against the genocide in Gaza and the attacks on Iran. Muhamed Buljubasic from Çaykur Rizespor was the first to pass by the opposing team without shaking hands.
In the 2027 European Under-21 Championship Qualifiers Group G, the Bosnia and Herzegovina U21 team hosted the Israel U21 team at home.
PROTEST AGAINST ISRAELI PLAYERS
The match played in Budapest ended in a goalless draw. However, it was the protest of the Bosnian players that overshadowed the result. Due to security concerns in Israel, during the ceremonial greeting of the match played in Hungary, some Bosnian players refused to shake hands with the Israeli players.
BULJUBASIC FROM RIZESPOR IS THE FIRST NAME TO REFUSE HANDSHAKE
The team captain Muhamed Buljubasic, who plays for the Süper Lig team Çaykur Rizespor, was the first name to pass by without shaking hands with the opposing team. After greeting the referees, Buljubasic ignored the Israeli players and walked past them. In the Bosnian press, comments were made that the protest was related to the developments in Gaza and the tensions in the region.