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FAI fined over Easter Rising tribute

Ireland wore a logo on their shirts in a friendly against Switzerland in March
Ireland wore a logo on their shirts in a friendly against Switzerland in March
CHARLES MCQUILLAN/GETTY IMAGES

The Football Association of Ireland has been fined 5,000 Swiss Francs (€4,700) for an Easter 1916 commemoration symbol worn by players in March.

The logo had not been mentioned by Fifa until November, when it was raised during a row over whether British teams would be allowed to wear a poppy during World Cup qualifiers held in the week of Armistice Day.

Ireland wore the symbol during the friendly against Switzerland in Dublin. There was also a pre-match commemoration in which members of the Defence Forces carried the flag and children read the proclamation of 1916.

Damian Collins, chairman of the British culture, media and sport committee, accused Fifa of double standards for allowing Ireland to wear the symbol while banning poppies for the November matches.

“That appears to be an absolutely classic example of leniency being shown to other countries,” Mr Collins said.

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England and Scotland defied the ban for their World Cup qualifying match on Armistice Day. Northern Ireland and Wales players wore plain black armbands but the associations were still punished for displays of the poppy in the stadium.

Fifa said that the symbol would breach rules banning political, religious or commercial messages from being worn by players. The British associations said that there was no political connotation to the poppy.

Claudio Sulser, chairman of the FIFA disciplinary committee, denied that the punishments were a judgment on the commemorations.

“We fully respect the significance of such moments in the respective countries, each one of them with its own history and background,” Mr Sulser said.

“However, keeping in mind that the rules need to be applied in a neutral and fair manner across Fifa’s 211 member associations, the display, among others, of any political or religious symbol is strictly prohibited. In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else.”

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The FA has been handed a €42,000 penalty, the Scottish FA and FA of Wales €18,000 each and the Irish Football Association (IFA) about €14,000.

Fifa said the fines also related cases of crowd misconduct.

The IFA, which oversees the sport in Northern Ireland, said it was considering legal advice before responding.

“The Irish FA is disappointed that the FIFA disciplinary committee has reprimanded the association and issued a fine in relation to acts of remembrance,” a statement said.