A formal complaint has been made to European football's governing body, UEFA, about the behaviour of Irish fans who booed a Glasgow Rangers player at a recent international game in Dublin.
Shota Arveladze, who was playing for his national team Georgia against Ireland, was heckled by some Irish supporters at the European Championship qualifying game in Lansdowne Road this month because of his links to the traditionally Protestant club.
The action was criticised the following day on radio by the FAI's chief executive, Mr Fran Rooney, who said he has made the stamping out of booing of players at international games a priority.
The complaint to the chief executive officer of UEFA has been made by Mr Ken McCue, who is a founding member of the organisation Sport Against Racism in Ireland (SARI), but who was writing in a personal capacity.
Mr McCue said the incessant booing of Arveladze by Irish fans was disturbing, and was not a once-off occurrence, as Danish and Norwegian players who formerly played with Glasgow Rangers have also been booed at in recent friendly games.
"I am afraid there is a nasty element creeping into the game in Ireland that has heretofore not been evident among our fan base. Indeed, as you will be aware, Irish fans have been exemplary in the past and have been great ambassadors for our country," the letter states.
He said he was "very concerned about the degeneration of our reputation and the use of our game to peddle hatred and bigotry". He suggested that consideration be given to the immediate implementation of a UEFA-endorsed 10-point action plan against racism on the island of Ireland, with strong emphasis on its anti-sectarian elements.
A spokesman for UEFA said its disciplinary powers in relation to supporters' behaviour, including conduct of a racist, discriminatory or non-sporting nature, were not normally activated by complaints from members of the public.
The match was not under investigation as no complaint had been made in the match report by an official UEFA delegate.