Sports minister backs FAI over handling of Israel fixtures
Patrick O’Donovan said the Football Association of Ireland had no alternative other than to fulfill Nations League fixtures against Israel.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) deserves sympathy over its handling of the Republic of Ireland’s Nations League fixtures against Israel, according to Minister for Sport Patrick O’Donovan.
People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger said on Tuesday that the board and chief executive of the FAI should resign over its “shambolic, arrogant, and incompetent” dealing with the fixtures.
Mr O’Donovan said the opposition was “speaking out of both sides of its mouth”, adding that he felt sorry for the FAI.
“They have had to walk an excruciatingly difficult line in the last couple of months, and it’s very easy for politicians to take potshots at them,” the Fine Gael TD said.
Speaking at the launch of a new Arts Capital Investment Fund, in the Mermaid centre in Bray, Co Wicklow, he said: “With regard to the issue that the FAI have had to contend with, they attempted to get the rules changed by Uefa. That was voted down and the alternative is that they don’t play and they’re kicked out, and that there are severe penalties.”
The Republic of Ireland were 3-0 winners over Israel at the Nagyerdei Stadium in Debrecen, Hungary, on Sunday, in the first of the two highly contentious games between the sides.
They are to play again this Sunday in the TSC Arena in Backa Topola, Serbia.
The game, which was due to be a home fixture for the Republic of Ireland, was moved to a neutral venue and behind closed doors by the FAI, over concerns of “operational challenges”.
The FAI has been heavily criticised for not putting a stop to the games, and leaving it up to the players to decide for themselves.
Asked if he had confidence in the FAI and its board of management, Mr O’Donovan said: “Of course I do. I mean, the current board and the current leadership of the FAI inherited a basket case in terms of its finances and governance, and they’ve had to do an extraordinarily difficult job, and it’s easy for people to make soundbites inside the Dáil.
“They’re in a pretty unenviable position. A lot of what the FAI have done over the last number of years haunts them, but on this, I don’t think there was an alternative avenue available to them.
“The FAI tried and attempted to get this matter resolved. Other European federations voted them down, so the alternative was fairly stark for them.
“What is the alternative then? I’m not the chief executive of the FAI, but I’m just asking you: What would you support? What would you propose that they should do? Should they leave Uefa? Should we cancel Euro 2028? Should we leave the Olympic Games?”