FAI seek guidance from FIFA over travel to Gulf for U-20 competition

THE FAI has asked soccer’s world governing body FIFA for guidance over its participation at the Under-20 World Championships in the United Arab Emirates later this month.

With war in the Middle East looking increasingly likely, doubts have been raised by western athletes about taking part in sporting events in the region.

Tiger Woods, Colin Montgomerie and Nick Faldo have all pulled out of this week’s Dubai Desert Classic, citing concerns for their safety, and there are question marks over whether both England and the USA will send their Under-20 teams a little further down the Gulf for the world youth championships which are set to start on March 27 and run until April 16.

The Republic of Ireland start with a tie against Saudi Arabia in the city of Al- Ain on March 27. No-one at the FAI was available yesterday afternoon to make an official comment but a source at their Merrion Square headquarters confirmed: “We faxed FIFA on Friday asking for some guidelines on travelling to the United Arab Emirates and are awaiting their reply.

“We have also been in contact with the Department of Foreign Affairs.”

The FAI were told by the government department that it is not advising against travelling to the UAE.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has stressed that: “Irish citizens resident in or intending to travel to certain parts of the Middle East should be aware of the risk of military conflict and terrorist action and should exercise extreme caution in their movements. They should monitor developments in the region closely and maintain a high level of vigilance.”

Irish citizens are strongly advised against travel to Iraq and any Irish citizens in the country are urged to leave immediately while Irish nationals are advised against travel to Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain.

However, an official at the Department yesterday said: “No such warning is in place for those intending to travel to the United Arab Emirates or to any of the cities therein.”

Though Tiger Woods, Montgomerie and Faldo are avoiding Dubai, which is 862 miles to the south-east of Baghdad, Ireland’s Darren Clarke, Padraig Harrington and Paul McGinley (who has been holidaying in Dubai with his family for the past week) along with Graeme McDowell, Peter Lawrie and Gary Murphy are all competing.

The month-long FIFA event, though, is more likely to coincide with any threatened war and both the US and English are nervous about sending teams to the region.

The US are scheduled to compete in the opening round in Al-Nahyan, Abu Dhabi, on the northern-most tip of the UAE and closer to Iraq.

FIFA investigated the possibility of moving the tournament to Japan, but took no action and US Soccer Federation officials are reportedly attempting switch the tournament to a different venue in September.

US Soccer director of communications Jim Moorhouse would not reveal the content of discussions, but did confirm daily conversations were being had to resolve the situation.