A football club has claimed that it was not notified about a stand down order (SDO) issued against one of its coaches by the Football Association of Ireland (FAI). The coach in question is among three men accused of sexual misconduct and unwarranted sexual advances in the 1990s, according to a recent investigation by RTÉ and the Sunday Independent.
The FAI’s operational handbook indicates that the association has the responsibility to notify the person targeted in a complaint or inquiry of their stand down from all football-related activities. The rule also spells out that the FAI should inform all individuals or groups who engage or employ the affected person within the sport, such as the person’s club, the league to which they belong, and any other parties that need to be informed in order to safeguard vulnerable persons.
The SDO directs the three male coaches, all of whom have denied any wrongdoing, to refrain from participating in any official Irish football activities.
A joint inquiry by RTÉ and the Sunday Independent revealed that an SDO was issued for this coach on March 15th of the previous year. However, the FAI refused to verify the dates, stating it cannot disclose any details related to safeguarding cases.
Furthermore, the FAI did not provide a reason for failing to notify the concerned club about the order, attributing this to an ongoing Garda investigation. This failing has potentially posed one of the most damaging scandals for the FAI yet.
The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) initiated communication with a football club on 11th March, when Kirsten Pakes, the child and safeguarding manager for the FAI, requested details of the club’s coaches, as well as confirmation of any players under the age of 18. The club replied the following day, providing a comprehensive list of coaches, which included a coach who is currently under scrutiny, and confirmed the presence of young players within its ranks.
On 13th March, the FAI inquired if the club’s coaches had gone through Garda vetting, to which the club confirmed that the process is mandatory for coaches dealing with players under 18. The FAI sent further communication on 4th July, to find out whether any matches or training sessions were ongoing at the time and to know when the club plans to commence its activities, should they be on hold. The FAI also queried when the club intends to start recruiting its coaches for the forthcoming season.
According to the response from the club, coach recruitment would not take place until August 2024. The club further stated that upon knowing of any intentions to re-engage the coach under investigation, Ms Pakes expressed high concern and made a request for urgent contact. She also sought information on the procedure for player complaints within the club.
At present, there have been no complaints filed against the coach in his current role. However, on 4th July, The Gardaí announced an ongoing investigation into the coach, relating to allegations from potentially multiple victims, stating that “at least one complaint” had emerged.
Expressing his regrets, David Courell, the interim chief executive at the FAI, apologised, stating: “We are sorry for the difficulties you’ve faced, we’re sorry that anyone may have felt unsafe, and we apologise that the modern practices and reporting structures now in place were not available to you when you required them.” He voiced this apology on the Monday of the preceding week.