IRELAND CENTURION DENISE O’Sullivan says she stands in solidarity with the former players who alleged historical abuse last week.
Women involved in football in the 1990s have made allegations of unwanted sexual advances, sexual abuse and bullying by a number of male coaches, in a joint investigation undertaken by RTÉ and The Sunday Independent.
A Garda investigation is underway, while three coaches have been issued with “stand down orders”. They were named in the RTÉ Investigates: Girls In Green documentary, and deny the allegations.
The FAI is ‘deeply shocked’ by the allegations, having first been made aware of them earlier this year, but the Association has not confirmed the names of the individual coaches.
Ireland head coach Eileen Gleeson and defender Aoife Mannion addressed the allegations on Thursday ahead of their Euro 2025 qualifier against England in Norwich.
O’Sullivan, who captained Ireland in the absence of Katie McCabe as they were defeated 2-1, spoke to the media after Friday’s game.
“I did watch the documentary in America,” the North Carolina Courage captain said.
“It was very hard to watch and I do stand in solidarity with those girls. They’re in my thoughts, there are players in there like Olivia O’Toole that I really look up to and it is just dreadful to see that they went through that, it needs to be kept talking about because it can’t happen again.”
While some current players watched the RTÉ programme at Ireland’s Castleknock base on Sunday, the squad met with Interim FAI CEO David Courell and People & Culture Director Aoife Rafferty afterwards.
Gleeson said there had been “open discussion” in the Ireland camp, with the players made aware of supports available.
“We didn’t go into deep conversation about it at all,” said O’Sullivan.
“When we are in camp, we don’t have much time to sit around and chat so our full focus is being on these games, but in the back of my mind it was sitting there and it is just hard to take.”
The Cork midfielder believes there has been improvements at the FAI, but there is scope for more.
“There has been a lot of improvement but there is a lot more growth as well within the FAI and we have to keep pushing that as players.
“What’s important is what’s for the next generation going forward, we need to keep pushing the standard as players. Going back to it again, it’s really tough.”
Julie-Ann Russell was also asked about the allegations at Carrow Road. Ireland’s returning goalscorer echoed O’Sullivan’s sentiments.
“It was a really, really tough watch to be honest,” said Russell.
“My heart broke for those women. I just think they are so brave for coming out and telling their story.
“I suppose it has opened the door for other people who were in that tragedy to be brave and also come forward.”
