17/08/2026
World frisbee championship in Limerick:
Stand up for victims of genocide —
Protest, boycott & refuse to play Israeli team ‘New Age’
At Solidarity’s Summer School, in Glendalough, Co Wicklow, Limerick activists raised that the world frisbee championship taking place this week on the University of Limerick campus features Israeli team “New Age, who have supported the Israeli state genocide of Palestine. The following appeal was issued on behalf of all attending the summer school and an additional comment from Ruth Coppinger, Solidarity TD:
“It is reprehensible that the World Flying Disc Federation, the World Ultimate Club Championship, UL Sport and UL, and event sponsors Limerick City and County Council have all failed to defend human rights by allowing New Age, a frisbee team from Israel, to participate in the WUCC event taking place at UL from 15-20th of August. New Age is part of the Israeli Flying Disc Association which has explicitly supported the genocide in Gaza and commended the actions of the brutal Israeli military, who have extended their attacks into Lebanon.
In contrast, we salute the frisbee teams and players who called for New Age to be immediately excluded from the event, and in particular those who state they will refuse to play New Age.
We know that these players and teams will come under pressure to reverse their stance, but we encourage them to stand firm — the people of Limerick and Ireland are with you. Undoubtedly it will be said you can protest while still playing the game against New Age. However, that would be meaningless and tokenistic, giving New Age, the IFDA and the Israeli state a victory in their quest to normalise their genocide!
It should not have been left to the players or frisbee federations — the Irish Government and UL should have acted. BUT we have to deal with the fact that they haven’t, and so we appeal to the players to be the voice of the voiceless, and offer some hope to the people of Palestine, by refusing to play.
Further, we call on all workers at UL, or in the Limerick area to boycott and refuse to facilitate the New Age team.
Lastly, we encourage the people of Limerick to:
Attend the protest tomorrow Sunday at 12:30pm, Pitch 19, University of Limerick
Phone John Moran, Mayor and Limerick City and County Council at 061 556000 and ask him to intervene to get the Israeli team removed from the competition.
Phone UL to protest at the decision of the college authorities to allow the competition to take place while New Age is allowed to participate.
Email [email protected] , phone 061 234271
Speaking at the Solidarity Summer School in Glendalough, Ruth Coppinger Solidarity TD said:
“The leadership, and indeed common decency, shown by some players at the world frisbee championship taking place at UL would put many politicians to shame, including minister Patrick O’Donovan!
48 teams are due to participate in the competition over the next week, including one - ”New Age” from Israel who have explicitly supported the genocide in Gaza. So far 20 teams have protested at the presence of New Age, and hopefully ‘player power’ will become a factor in the next days.
It shouldn’t be up to the players but various institutions in the sport globally and in Ireland have refused to act, so the Palestinians living in Ireland and their siblings in Palestine are now looking to the players to make a stand on their behalf.
So far several teams have said they will refuse to play New Age, and that is what is necessary, as it's the only effective protest. I would encourage those teams - which includes players from Ireland, England and Belgium - to resist any pressure to pull back. Think of the 1,000 Palestinian athletes who have been murdered over the last three years!
I would also appeal to the people of Limerick, who are always to the forefront in every good fight, to protest and to mobilise around this event, with a view to encouraging other players to also make a stand and put down a marker for real solidarity, defense of human rights and a celebration of what is truly great in sport.
This is obviously also taking place in the context of the Ireland v Israel football matches that are due to take place in September and October. But the most important context - for this event and for all those involved in and who love Irish football - is that the genocide is continuing in Palestine. We in Ireland have a unique opportunity to offer real solidarity and hope to the people of Palestine and the world.”
