Latest news with #Courell
Extra.ie
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Garda advised FAI not to answer TD's claims until investigation was over
The FAI sought Garda advice on an ongoing criminal investigation before asking to defer an appearance before an Oireachtas committee. The FAI confirmed yesterday it accepted an invitation to appear before an Oireachtas committee to answer claims that it knew of allegations about a former national team manager's behaviour towards female footballers as far back as 2023. Allegations came to light in a 2024 documentary. Last week, Fianna Fáil TD Pádraig O'Sullivan – using Dáil privilege – read claims that the FAI knew about the allegation prior to the RTÉ Investigates programme. Pádraig O'Sullivan. Pic: Leah Farrell/ 'I quoted extensively from a series of correspondence that I obtained through an individual,' he said. 'The correspondence clearly demonstrates this was known nine months prior to the RTÉ Investigates programme. That in itself is damning.' He noted the FAI had received 'formal' written communication from An Garda Síochána, which stated: 'It would be preferable to the investigation if any hearing of an Oireachtas committee, in respect of these particular issues, took place after the criminal investigation has concluded.' David Courell. Pic: Tyler Miller/Sportsfile The initial correspondence between the FAI and AGS was previously provided to the committee, which shows that the FAI had sought Garda advice on appearing before the Oireachtas hearing. Éadaoin Keane, the FAI's communications director, followed up on the FAI's request as they 'need this position as soon as possible'. The Garda response noted, 'while it is not the place of the AGS to advise another organisation in this regard' it would then be 'preferable' if the meetings took place after the criminal investigation had concluded. The correspondence from Mr Courell yesterday went on: 'The FAI must take this guidance seriously. We are acutely aware of the current stage of the investigation and cannot risk a scenario where questions asked in a public forum could inadvertently influence, prejudice, or compromise the legal process or the rights of any party involved. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins 'We note the committee's point that the response from AGS does not prohibit sharing information. We interpret otherwise, but for clarity, we have, upon receipt of your query, provided AGS with a list of the evidence you are seeking.' Mr Courell offered a private session with the Oireachtas committee. He noted the volume of information requested by the committee and stated that it would require a significant amount of work to provide the information in a manner that complied with the GDPR. He also expressed concern that some information was related to specific cases, and not about policies and procedures. In a statement yesterday confirming it would attend an Oireachtas hearing, an FAI spokesman said: 'The association has requested the date be deferred by four weeks to enable adequate preparation time, given the complexity introduced by the committee seeking material that relates directly to an ongoing Garda investigation.' They said the committee originally sought availability from the FAI to discuss its 'safeguarding policies and procedure'. 'Over the intervening period, we will continue to liaise with the committee to ensure the scope of the session is clearly defined to ensure no parties could inadvertently compromise an ongoing investigation.'
The Irish Sun
29-06-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
FAI chief ‘concerned' over shock ‘whistleblower' email allegations against Irish football officials amid ‘sexting' claim
FAI chief David Courell is 'greatly concerned' over allegations made about Irish football officials in a whistleblower email. The anonymous message from someone calling themselves 'truthfootball' was sent to several key figures in the A number of allegations were made, with the sender warning of a 'wider culture that remains toxic', despite attempts to clean up the FAI in recent years. One allegation claims that a current FAI official was caught up in a sexting scandal at their non-FAI job. It's alleged that this person sent unsolicited photos of his genitals to a colleague, with the employer then investigating the claim. FAI Chief Executive Courell has written to everyone who received the email. Read more in News His email said: 'I can assure you that the FAI is greatly concerned about the information contained in this email and is taking steps to deal with the matter.' The FAI has suffered scandals in recent years, including financial issues under former 1 FAI chief David Courell is 'greatly concerned' over the allegations made Credit: Sportsfile
Irish Daily Mirror
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Euro 2028: FAI provide update on status of extra game hope for Aviva Stadium
FAI chiefs are very confident that Dublin will host an additional group game at Euro 2028. With Ireland confirmed as co-hosts, the Aviva Stadium is expected to host four group games and two knock-out games, including a quarter-final. Now there is another group game that is set to be ring-fenced for the Lansdowne Road venue after UEFA was forced to relocate the five games earmarked for Belfast due to the Casement Park redevelopment project not getting off the ground. "I am very confident we will secure an additional game in Dublin," said FAI chief executive officer David Courell. "I think it's an additional group game, still subject to final approval from UEFA. I'm very confident." With the FAI on the lookout for a new chief football officer to replace Marc Canham, Courell confirmed that senior Ireland managers Heimir Hallgrimsson and Carla Ward will report to him for the time being. "The world will keep spinning," said Courell. "We will still be able to continue business as usual. "For clarity, Heimir and Carla will report into me in the intervening period. "A review is something we are committed to, it's not just a Marc Canham thing. It's something we see value in having consistency at the end of each and every campaign. "I hope we'll have someone in to conclude that review. If not, I will lean on the support of the expertise in-house to support me in carrying out that review, simple as." Canham came under the spotlight as the public face of the FAI's prolonged search for a successor to Stephen Kenny as the men's national team boss, and for the choice of Hallgrimsson - who was not a well known figure. Asked if appointing the former Iceland and Jamaica boss was a risk, Courell replied: "It was a calculated risk from Marc, one I believe will pay off. "I think all of us involved in that decision can see the benefits of what Heimir has brought to the team, there's optimism around our forthcoming qualification campaign. "We are confident and comfortable with our decision. Time will tell but early indications are that we were right to hold our nerve, and we stand by that."
The 42
27-04-2025
- Politics
- The 42
FAI confident of one additional Euro 2028 group game following Casement Park
THE FAI REMAIN confident they will be allocated one additional group game at Euro 2028 following confirmation that Casement Park will not host games as initially envisaged. With the UK government reneging on the funding of Casement in time for the Euros, Northern Ireland have been removed as a host FA and the games will be distributed among the other four co-hosts. The FAI initially thought they may get another two games, but the likely outcome is one extra group game is staged at the Aviva Stadium. The final decision on the distribution of games is subject to approval by Uefa. 'I am very confident we will secure one additional game in Dublin,' FAI CEO David Courell told journalists this week. Elsewhere, Courell was asked whether he was unhappy with the optics of a recent article published by the Irish Examiner, in which his predecessor John Delaney was photographed at Mounthawk Park, the home of Kerry FC, to mark the naming of the John O'Regan Stand, christened so after Kerry District League Secretary and former Munster Football Association Chairman John O'Regan. Delaney told the Irish Examiner, 'I gave €5,000 to Castlegregory last summer and I gave €10,000 to Castleisland, and I am giving €5,000 today, out of my own pocket.' Advertisement 'I think Mounthawk FC [sic]. . . Credit to the club for the work they are doing on the ground, who they chose to invite is their decision but that's a matter for the past and I'll leave it there,' said Courell in response to the question. Courell was then asked to elaborate on leadership style. 'Leadership can come in many different forms, and it doesn't mean you have to rule with an iron fist,' said Courell. 'It can be setting direction, taking on board opinions and viewpoints, building consensus and delivering action, and that's the kind of leader I am. I pride myself on my desire and ability to collaborate and communicate. 'We've had different types of leaders. We are in a more modern day where we have a community that will respond better to collaboration than the other, alternative methods.' Courell was speaking following the announcement that Marc Canham is quitting as the FAI's chief football officer. Canham will leave his post in three months time, and the FAI are planning on an interim appointment to the post until the permanent successor is recruited. Canham oversees the senior men's and women's head coaches, but with Heimir Hallgrimsson's contract expiring in November this year should Ireland not qualify for at least the World Cup play-offs, Courell says he will lead the review and subsequent contract renewal decision should Canham's full-time replacement not yet be in the building. 'The world will keep spinning even when Marc departs,' said Courell. 'Heimir and Carla will report into me in the intervening period. A review is something we are committed to, it's not just a Marc Canham thing, it's something we see value in having consistency at the end of each and every campaign. I hope we'll have someone in post to conclude that review. If not I will lean on the support of the expertise in-house to support me in carrying out that review, simple as.' Reflecting on Canham's time in charge, Courell agreed with an assertion that Canham took a risk in announcing in March last year that the FAI would appoint Stephen Kenny's full-time successor the following month, once that coach had completed their 'existing contractual obligations.' Ultimately Hallgrimsson was not announced in April, but in July. Courell repeated the FAI's insistence that Hallgrimsson was their first-choice candidate all along, even if, as Courell has previously admitted, Hallgrimsson was still on the open market in July, shortly before he was unveiled by the FAI. 'It was a calculated risk from Marc, one I believe will pay off,' said Courell. Courell rejected the notion Canham regrets the whole drawn-out process. 'I don't think so, I think all of us involved in that decision can see benefits of what Heimir has brought to the team, there's optimism around our forthcoming qualification campaign. We are confident and comfortable with our decision. Time will tell but early indications are that we were right to hold our nerve and we stand by that.' Meanwhile, Hallgrimsson's hopes of adding more games to the forthcoming June friendly schedule so as to be able to run the rule over a wider pool of players look set to be disappointed. Though the FAI had worked on adding more games to the confirmed double-header of Senegal and Luxembourg, it's understood they were unable to find appropriate opponents at relatively short notice.
Irish Examiner
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Courell confident of extra Euro 2028 fixture as he defends Bonner's role
The FAI are 'very confident' of adding a seventh game to their hosting roster of the Euro 2028 finals. Ten venues across the UK and Ireland were proposed to stage the games but UEFA's decision to strip Casement Park in Belfast of matches due to delays subsequently freed up excess fixtures to be absorbed. It was confirmed late last year that alternative venues in Ireland such as Croke Park or SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh were off the table but Dublin's Aviva Stadium is in line to be granted an extra game. Lansdowne Road was also assigned four group games and two knockout games, including a quarter-final match. Now an extra group match for a tournament which Ireland seem to be assured of participation in, either by qualifying or on a hosting ticket, is on the way. 'I am very confident we will secure an additional game in Dublin,' said FAI chief executive David Courell. 'I think it's an additional group game, still subject to final approval from UEFA, but I'm very confident'. Meanwhile, Courell has defended the contribution made by Packie Bonner, the legendary Ireland goalkeeper part of the FAI board since 2021. Bonner was invited onto the top table as an independent director, chairing the international and high performance committee. Within that role, he's been involved in the recruitment selection of men's and women's managers but Courell denied him being based in Scotland was a problem. A recent media report contended there was unease with the domestic game about the degree of influence Bonner wielded. This is despite the fact that the FAI's General Assembly, of which the League of Ireland comprises almost one third, ratified Bonner's reappointment to the board last September by a resounding 79-4 majority. Neither has there been any formal feedback of dissatisfaction from the LOI committees. 'It doesn't concern me,' said Courell about former FAI technical director Bonner's living in Glasgow. 'If you look at our board, we've 14 board members. There's a really good balance, a mix of skills and background and experience. 'We value Packie's contributions to the board. He has a connection to the association to Irish football, he's worked in Abbotstown and is still active in Uefa circles. 'Valuable contributions are something we should be welcoming to the board table. They are part of a mix of skills and opinions and viewpoints that are factored in before we reach any decision 'Packie and Marc (Canham) in particular were ones that were asking more technical questions to managers around football. It's not entirely accurate to say that Packie was the only person asking football questions.' Asked if Bonner will have an involvement in sourcing Canham's replacement after he departs his chief football officer role in the summer, the CEO said: 'Potentially but potentially not. 'The reality is we've had other board members involved in other recruitment processes.'
