Headache for FAI as crucial motion fails to pass

The FAI have suffered a major setback after a motion that would have helped to facilitate gender balance requirements on the board failed to pass at their EGM on Thursday night.

In January 2020, a Memorandum of Understanding [MOU] was signed that enabled a Government rescue package of the association. One of the terms in the MOU was that the FAI must have a 40% female representation on the board by the end of 2023.

At tonight's EGM, a motion was put forward to increase the board to 14 members, with a 50-50 split between independent and football-elected directors.

The restructuring would have helped the FAI to meet the board's gender balance requirements, however the required 75% majority of votes was not reached.

Minister for Sport Thomas Byrne has previously warned that all sporting bodies faced the prospect of funding cuts if they failed to meet gender balance requirements.

An FAI statement read: "The FAI confirms that at tonight's EGM, the General Assembly voted against the proposed constitutional change to allow two additional female candidates to join the FAI Board.

"The required 75% majority to pass the proposal was not reached. The proposed change was put forward to address the current gender balance gap on the Board and the FAI’s intention to be compliant with the Government’s directive to have 40% gender representation on its Board by the end of the year.

"The FAI Board will now reflect on the decision, work through the next steps, and have a revised position for the General Assembly to review at the December 9th AGM. It remains the FAI’s firm position to achieve the required 40% female representation on the Board."