FAI has plan to cope with away game emergencies

ALTHOUGH the FAI are satisfied with all the security arrangements for the Republic’s World Cup Qualifier in Israel, the Association has a crisis management plan in place to cope with any emergency while abroad.

FAI Chief Executive John Delaney said that the document was presented to the Association’s management team this week and would act as a blueprint for all future international games.

“It’s a broader issue than just the game in Israel, it should be for any home or away match,” he explained. “All members of the FAI management team will have certain responsibilities, be they in Ireland or wherever a game would be played, in terms of fitting into a plan of action.

“The official travelling party would be the first priority but it’s also in place for supporters, to cover any difficulties that might arise.”

It’s the first time such a contingency plan has been drawn up by the Association and, although specifically inspired by the security considerations surrounding the game in Tel Aviv, Delaney believes the model should have wider application.

The Chief Executive said: “Genesis would have recommended that we look at having crisis management plans in place, something that would encompass even another Saipan-type situation happening again.

"If something like that had been in place then, everyone would have known their reference point as opposed to trying to work it out as you go along.”

The FAI have been working closely with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Israeli Embassy in Dublin and the Israeli Football Association in the run-up to Saturday’s big game, and Delaney said that their hosts have been “fantastic, to say the least, particularly in terms of trying to ease some of the security issues, such as getting the players through the airport, which we believe will be handled a lot more expediently than would normally be the case.

“To be fair, I think the Israelis are hoping to use this as a showpiece for tourism,” he added. “They fought very hard to get their games back into Tel Aviv. The Israeli embassy in Dublin and the Israeli Football Association have been nothing but supportive in terms of trying to get things to work well.”

Following a letter sent to the FAI by the Delegation General of Palestine in Ireland, the association’s Chief Executive also recently met with the Delegate General, Ali Ahmed Halimeh.

“He was very open and very honest about not envisaging any security issues from their perspective,” said Delaney. “I very much welcomed our discussion and, in fact, we’ve offered, possibly later in the year, to send some coaches out and help them with own teams.”

Ali Ahmed Halimeh said that he extended an invitation to the Irish team to visit the Palestinian territories for a training session but that he was told it was too late to make the arrangements in time for this trip.

However, he said he welcomed the offer of coaching advice and the prospect of Irish and Palestinian football forging closer links in time.

“I also assured him that no Palestinian would think of harming any Irish citizen,” he said.

The Delegate General added: “We wish you all the best and hope that you beat the Israelis. And we are also waiting for the day when Palestine can participate in such a game.”