Louth's Byrne says its not too late for 'FAI to do the right thing'
Louth Sinn Féin TD Joanna Byrne said that it is not too late for FAI do to the right thing by its management, players and supporters, and to refuse to fulfil the upcoming Nations League games against Israel
Louth TD and Sinn Féin spokesperson on Sport, Joanna Byrne TD, has said that it is not too late for the FAI to do the right thing, to protect Ireland’s players and management, and to refuse to fulfil the upcoming Nations League games against Israel.
Deputy Byrne made her comments as increased provocation from the Israel FA, in targeting Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson, further intensified the growing public support for the FAI to make the right call.
The Louth TD said: “The latest inflammatory remarks by the Israel FA have cynically targeted the Ireland senior Heimir Hallgrímsson.
“Heimir Hallgrímsson rightly called out what is happening in Gaza as a genocide. The attempts by the Israel FA to bully and provoke someone representing our country on the international stage should be condemned by all.
“But this provocation was also entirely predictable. Heimir Hallgrímsson and Ireland’s players should never have been put in this position in the first place.
“While the double standards of UEFA and the Irish government’s failure to show leadership on this issue must be called out, if the FAI truly had their players’ interests at heart, then they would have made the brave but correct decision to refuse to fulfil these fixtures.
“Instead, players and management have been hung out to dry by the board of the FAI who have stubbornly refused to take on board the public support for refusing to fulfil fixtures against Israel - calls supported by trade unions representing their workers and the PFA Ireland representing Irish footballers.
“We also learn from the Irish Examiner today that the punishment given to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia when they refused to fulfil recent UEFA fixtures against Belarus was a 3-0 walkover and, in one case, a €5,000 fine.
“This is contrary to the doomsday scenario presented by the FAI board to its delegates - yet another sleight of hand following on from the Palestinian FA being forced to clarify that it had not, contrary to the claims of the FAI, ‘issued any statement endorsing, approving, or supporting the decision to proceed with the match’.
“These acts of deception can be forgiven if, even at this eleventh hour, the FAI to do the right thing and refuse to fulfil these fixtures.
“Their continued failure to make that call has regrettably but predictably put a target on the back of the team’s management and players - both from provocation from the Israel FA and its supporters, but also from Ireland supporters angry and frustrated by the prospect of these games taking place.
“If the FAI continues to look the other way, and any player, as an individual or a group of players, publicly decide to take the decision not participate in these games, then they should take comfort from the overwhelming outpouring of support, both domestically and internationally, for the stance taken by Macklemore, and the acts that stood in solidarity with him in recent weeks.
“But let’s be very clear, it should not come to that. These games should not proceed and the responsibility for ensuring that they don’t now lies firmly with the FAI.
“It is not too late for the FAI to do the right thing by its management, players and supporters.”