FAI to address female players’ abuse claims on Monday

The FAI will address on Monday its role in the allegations made by former female football players of inappropriate behaviour by male coaches.

The FAI will address on Monday its role in the allegations made by former female football players of inappropriate behaviour by male coaches.

On Sunday, details of the complaints were presented in the media, centring on the conduct of particular coaches in the 1990s during the all-female FÁS course in Leixlip and while on international duty for Ireland.

An Garda Síochána have launched a probe into one senior ex-coach related to accusations of making unwanted sexual advances. A separate complaint has also been made about a second senior coach.

Both have denied any wrongdoing. One insisted some details are defamatory and declared his intention to protect his reputation.

Those two individuals, and a third involved on the FÁS course, were issued “standing down” orders by the FAI in March, debarring them from involvement in the game while investigations are ongoing. 

None are FAI employees.

FAI General Assembly members who attended Saturday’s quarterly meeting in Dublin were forewarned of harrowing testimonies being provided by victims during the imminent revelations.

Six former players were interviewed on camera, with a further two filmed using pseudonyms.

Bernard O’Byrne, the FAI’s chief executive at the time, stressed that the women’s game was outside of its scope.

The sector of the game came under the auspices of the Ladies Football Association of Ireland (LFAI), rebranded in 2001 as the Women’s FAI (WFAI). That affiliate has been subsumed by the FAI since 2017.

“The structures were non-existent,” he told RTÉ Investigates. 

“The LFAI ran their own show with volunteers. We were in the era of Jack Charlton and Mick McCarthy with the men’s team. 

"Of course, we should have been monitoring the women’s game.

“Not that it’s an excuse but I had enough headaches at the time.”

Former Ireland striker Siobhan Furlong, who was an assistant coach on the Leixlip course, revealed she only heard of the alleged abuse of power the following year.

Her concerns were raised to Niamh O’Donoghue, then chair of the LFAI, who is adamant both trainees and the accused cited denied the allegations.

“There was no basis for us to take any further action,” said Ms O’Donoghue, a former general secretary of the department of social protection.

A statement released through the players’ union, on behalf of the investigation participants, threw the onus on the FAI to ensure there is no repeat.

“Our pain will be the next generation’s gain,” it read. “Women’s football has emerged from the shadows and we want to see it go from strength to strength.

“What we experienced should provide lessons for the future and we hope the FAI, and all other sporting bodies in this country, will take the appropriate steps to ensure it never occurs again on their watch.” 

The FAI, which only launched its safeguarding campaign – Play it Right – after a response to the allegations was sought, will stage a press conference on Monday morning with interim chief executive David Courell and People and Culture Director Aoife Rafferty.

Monday’s scheduled series of interviews with the current squad ahead of Friday’s Euro qualifier against England in Norwich was cancelled on Sunday night.