The IFA lost out last summer in a case before the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which challenged FIFA's stance on the eligibility rule. This gave the FAI in the Republic the go ahead to cherry pick players born in Northern Ireland, despite FIFA's own statutes dictating that either a player himself, one of his parents or a grandparent must be born on the 'territory of the relevant association' in order to play for that country.
Now Jim Shaw has said that a new route must be found to prevent the Republic of Ireland from freely selecting Northern Ireland born players.
In an article in the Belfast Telegraph (4 March), former Ireland and Ulster rugby player Trevor Ringland, a member of One Small Step, said:
The FAI are in danger of making Northern Ireland a Protestant team - instead of a mixed team - by taking away these young players.That's incredibly short-sighted of the FAI and shows a total lack of understanding of the damage being done to relationships on this island. The FAI's stance is undermining the good work of so many others.
It will be argued by some folk that a footballer who decides to play for another country would never really have given his full commitment to Northern Ireland but nevertheless this is an iniquitous and inequitable situation.
The reason for his decision to choose the Republic is unclear but Northern Ireland under-seventeen manager Paul Kee, who had selected George for two friendlies, said, 'Some from naionalist backgrounds will feel an affiliation with the Republic and I believe it was a family decision for Paul.'
"despite FIFA's own statutes dictating that either a player himself, one of his parents or a grandparent must be born on the 'territory of the relevant association' in order to play for that country."
ReplyDeleteActually its not as straight forward as that.
“A Player who, under the terms of art. 15, is eligible to represent more than one Association on account of his nationality, may play in an international match for one of these Associations only if, in addition to having the relevant nationality, he fulfils at least one of the following conditions:
a) He was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
b) His biological mother or biological father was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
c) His grandmother or grandfather was born on the territory of the relevant Association;
d) He has lived continuously on the territory of the relevant Association for at least two years.”
-FIFA’s Regulations Governing the Application of the Statutes.
Is it also not hypocritical point considering current Northern Ireland players, Johnny Gorman and Ryan Brobbel – both English-born but eligible by virtue of their descent to play for either Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland – played in the FAI’s youth set-up before switching to the IFA?...