St. Pats docked points after FAI overturn ruling
By Paul Doyle of IRELAND.COM
25/09/01: The FAI today revealed it has decided to uphold Shelbourne’s appeal of the eircom League’s decision not to deduct points from St. Patrick’s Athletic after the club fielded an ineligible player. St. Pat’s learned in a registered letter from the Association this morning that they will, therefore, be deducted nine points.
The league statutes stipulate that club’s who field ineligible players must be docked three points for each match the player participates in. St. Pat’s Paul Marney played in three matches this season while improperly registered. The eircom league had originally taken a lenient view of what it considered "an inadvertent breach of the rules" and imposed only a £1,000 fine.
Shelbourne and Derry City appealed this decision, stating the rulebook was unequivocal and the points had to be deducted. Derry’s appeal was rejected on the grounds that it was not accompanied by the obligatory £300 fee. But Shelbourne’s appeal was upheld.
While Shelbourne officials have declined to comment, St. Pat's President Tim O'Flaherty said the ruling "has dealt a very damaging blow to Irish soccer" and called on the FAI to retract its decision.
In an ominous official statement, O'Flaherty asserted: "The punishment meted out in no way reflects the inadvertent nature of the administrative error and in no way reflects the objectives of the relevant rules."
"If this wrong decision is not corrected, this season’s eircom League campaign will be brought into disrepute."
"For any club to use this situation to seek to gain an advantage, which bears no relation to contests on the field of play, leaves us with no option but to seek a resolution based on natural justice and fair play - not only on behalf of St Patrick’s Athletic inc. St Francis FC but on behalf of the Irish soccer community. To this end, we are in consultation with our legal advisors in order to examine the courses of action open to us."
"Otherwise this decision will set a dangerous precedent and will have serious consequences for the future of Irish football."
