The board of the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) has held an unscheduled board meeting after a standoff emerged with the Oireachtas sport committee.
The organisation was due to appear before the committee next Wednesday, but after its regular meeting last week, members of the committee were told the FAI was seeking to delay the meeting.
It is understood the FAI wrote to the committee outlining that it wanted to postpone the meeting until Garda investigations into allegations of inappropriate relationships with players against former coaches, and unwanted sexual advances.
The allegations were first made public last summer by RTÉ Investigates and the Sunday Independent. Gardaí later confirmed that they are investigating at least one complaint regarding the matter and were in contact with several more potential victims.
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RTÉ has previously reported that the former coaches have denied any wrongdoing.
Political sources said this week that the committee had decided to respond to the FAI saying it wanted the meeting to go ahead, arguing that the questioning could be constructed in such a way as to avoid encroaching on areas that might be subject to any ongoing investigation.
It is unclear what the outcome or decision of the board meeting held on Friday night was, if any. A source with knowledge of discussions denied that there was a split in the board over the matter. It is believed some senior figures at the FAI are deeply sceptical about the merits of attending the committee.
A request for comment to the FAI met no immediate response on Friday evening. At the time of the joint RTÉ/Sunday Independent investigation, the FAI said it was treating the allegations with the utmost priority and seriousness.
Speaking under Dáil privilege last month, Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central Pádraig O’Sullivan said the organisation knew of the allegations in 2023, “despite the FAI stating publicly that it only learned of these allegations in early 2024″.
Mr O’Sullivan said he had seen correspondence dating to May 4th, 2023, which laid this out “in black and white”.
[ Gardaí investigating historical allegations made against women’s soccer coachOpens in new window ]
Responding, Minister of State for sport Charlie McConalogue said it was the view of his department and of Sport Ireland that the FAI had engaged appropriately with the allegations, and that once it received a formal complaint in January 2024 it acted swiftly and contacted An Garda Síochána and Tusla in accordance with mandatory reporting requirements and its own safeguarding and child welfare regulations.
Mr McConalogue said the allegations made by women involved in football in the 1990s were “truly shocking” and he commended the bravery of those who had come forward to tell their stories.
