Sports Minister Shane Ross has put the Government on a new collision course with the FAI after asking the football body’s president to step down from his role.
Mr Ross made the request in an explosive letter last night, despite the FAI insisting that the planned reappointment of Donal Conway on a short-term basis is part of agreed governance reforms at the crisis-hit organisation.
In a letter directly to Mr Conway, Mr Ross raised serious concerns that the senior official has been put forward as the only presidential candidate at this weekend’s AGM — saying that it shows “the old guard is trying to make a comeback”.
The letter read: “In your [Mr Conway’s] letter of April 16 you explicitly stated that at the AGM in July the board of the FAI would step down to allow for a new board to be constituted in the best interests of Irish football.
Contrary to this commitment, you have now been effectively re-elected as president of the FAI. This was a reversal of your promise to bring reform to the FAI.
Mr Ross added what is happening “falls short of transparency”.
However, the FAI refused to back down, saying last night that Mr Conway is running as part of transition plans outlined in last month’s governance review.
An FAI spokesperson said that while the FAI previously agreed its entire board would step down, it also said two members would put themselves forward to stay for 12 months. In that context, he said Mr Conway, who has been a board member since 2005 and became FAI president last August, was nominated to remain as president.
The spokesperson said Mr Conway will not chair the interim board, adding that the FAI “notes” Mr Ross’s “concern for the game”.
The stand-off is certain to dominate today’s Oireachtas sports committee meeting with Sport Ireland chief executive John Treacy, who will tell TDs a separate independent FAI audit will be complete by September.