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A view of the national anthems being sung at the Aviva Stadium. Bryan Keane/INPHO

FAI hit with fine for fans' booing of English anthem

The English FA were fined for the same reason.

THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION of Ireland have been fined €10,000 by Uefa for the booing of God Save The King ahead of September’s Nations League clash against England in September. 

The English FA, meanwhile, have been fined €12,500 because some of their travelling support booed Amhrán na bhFiann before the same game. 

It is understood that the English fine was higher as their supporters have been previously been punished for booing opposition anthems. 

The booing of national anthems emerged as a regular pre-game trend at the summer’s European Championship in Germany, and September’s Nations League clash in Dublin was preceded by a lusty chorus of boos for both anthems. 

Tánaiste Micheál Martin criticised any Irish fans who booed the English anthem, ahead of a game won comfortably by England, in which the goals were scored by Declan Rice and Jack Grealish. 

“I wasn’t happy with it,” Martin told reporters in the week after the game.

“I think when we’re hosting any country in the world, we should pay respect to their anthem, just as they should pay respect to our anthem.

“But the vast, vast majority of fans did pay respect, but you get that, I mean it’s football. And I thought overall the match was played in a wonderful atmosphere, there was a very happy atmosphere in the Aviva.” 

Anthems were a talking point ahead of the game, with elements of the English press criticising interim coach Lee Carsley for not singing God Save the King. Carsley, who played 40 times for Ireland, will remain in interim charge until the end of this year, at which point Thomas Tuchel takes charge. 

The FAI’s total fines from the game are just shy of €26,000. They were also fined €9,250 for the lighting of flares, and €6,000 following a supporter’s invasion of the field of play. 

The FA were fined another €5,000 for a separate invasion of the pitch: a YouTuber dressed in England kit snuck onto the pitch and lined up alongside the England team for the anthems, until he was spotted and escorted away by security. 

The sides meet again at Wembley on Sunday week, 17 November. A portion of the away allocation for Irish supporters at Wembley has been returned to the FA, as they went unsold. 

Author
Gavin Cooney
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