THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION of Ireland have forwarded an independent investigation of certain matters at the Association to An Garda Siochana and the Office for the Director of Corporate Enforcement (ODCE.) 

In March 2019, the FAI board announced they had commissioned Mazars to investigate “certain matters of concern” at the Association. This came after a fortnight of public revelations related to the FAI’s finances, including details of a €100,000 loan to the Association by then-CEO John Delaney in 2017. The loan was not recorded in the FAI’s annual accounts. 

Mazars have now completed their investigation and having read the full report and sought advice, the FAI board have forwarded it to the Gardaí and the ODCE. 

“In April 2019, the Board of the Football Association of Ireland established an independent investigation to be undertaken by Mazars in respect of certain matters of concern which had come to the attention of the then Board”, read a statement. 

“The report arising from that investigation has now been furnished by Mazars to the current Board of the FAI. Having considered the matter and taken advice, the Board of the FAI has determined that it is appropriate that the report be referred to An Garda Siochana and to the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement.

“The Board of the FAI will not be making any further comment on the matter at this time.” 

The FAI remain subject to an investigation by the ODCE. 

A separate, independent audit of the FAI, commissioned by Sport Ireland and conducted by Northern Ireland firm KOSI, was sent to Gardaí last year by Sports Minister Shane Ross. 

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