BALLYBRACK FC HAVE been sanctioned for bringing the game into disrepute, but will not face expulsion from the Leinster Senior League after falsifying the death of one of their former players.

The south Dublin club claimed Spanish student Fernando Lafuente Saiz had died following a car accident last week in order to have their league fixture against Arklow Town postponed.

It later transpired Lafuente Saiz was, in fact, alive and well and had relocated to Galway in recent times for work, having previously lined out for Ballybrack during his time living in Dublin.

The executive committee of the Leinster Senior League last night met with club officials from Ballybrack, and handed down a number of sanctions in accordance with Football Association of Ireland (FAI) rules, all of which will remain private.

Ballybrack will, however, not be kicked out of the league after the club apologised for the incident and for bringing the game into disrepute, while it was also confirmed the individual responsible for the ‘error’ has also been sanctioned and removed from the committee. 

In a statement, the Leinster Senior League said: “The League would like to state that events of the past week should not be attributed to or connected to Ballybrack FC schoolboy teams, which are run by a separate committee.

“In the meeting, Ballybrack FC were open and transparent regarding an error made by a volunteer who no longer works with the club, after he was removed from the senior team committee last Tuesday.

Ballybrack FC officials admitted to not grasping the full impact of the incident, where they failed to fulfil a fixture against Arklow Town FC, and they apologised for their part in that.

“Ballybrack FC will accept all sanctions handed down by the League and have thanked Arklow Town for their support throughout this process.

The League have ruled that sanctions — which match FAI Rules — have been imposed on Ballybrack FC for failing to fulfil the fixture. The club has been sanctioned for bringing the game into disrepute, and the individual involved is also sanctioned for bringing the game into disrepute.

“All correspondences between the League and the club will remain private, but the League can confirm that Ballybrack FC were not removed from the league altogether.

“The League would like to appeal to the media and the general public to respect the privacy of the former club volunteer involved in the incident, who made an error that they have privately apologised for.

“The League will not be making any further public comment on this issue.”

According to the Leinster Senior League website, Ballybrack are due to face Kilbarrack United in an away league fixture on Saturday afternoon at 2.30pm.  

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