THE FAI were obliged to counter a charge of racism from UEFA after Rangers’ player Shota Arveladze was booed in last month’s European Championship qualifying tie against Georgia in Lansdowne Road.

THE disgraceful scenes at Ireland's European Championship tie against Georgia in Tbilisi led to the UEFA observer departing the Lokomotiv Stadium with an array of missiles that had been hurled in the direction of Ireland's players including an open pen-knife, ball-bearings and the neck of a glass vodka bottle.