Relations with Minister better

A significant improvement in the difficult relationship between the Olympic Council of Ireland and the Minister for Sport, Dr Jim McDaid, was reported at the council's a.g.m. in Dublin last night.

The OCI's president Pat Hickey thanked McDaid and John Treacy, the chairman of the Irish Sports Council, for their co-operation in recent months, and confirmed that the State grant for the administration of the council had been restored.

He stressed that it still met less than 50 per cent of the costs involved, but after the strained relations with McDaid's predecessor Bernard Allen he welcomed the new climate of co-operation.

After delivering some caustic comment on the Government's refusal to provide funding for the World Youth Olympics in Moscow last summer, Hickey said he had received assurances from John Treacy that monies would be made available for the European Youth Olympics in Denmark.

Hickey also confirmed that the Republic of Ireland soccer team would be one of only six sides competing by invitation in the Games in Denmark next summer when the numerical strength of the overall squad will be increased considerably on the six athletes who took part in the inaugural World Youth Olympics in Moscow last summer.

The invitation, extended by the International Olympic Committee, highlights Ireland's growing influence in underage football, as manifested in the European Under-16 and I8 championships and a third placing in the World Under-20 championships in Malaysia last year.

It will be the first occasion since the Olympic Games in London 50 years ago that an Irish team has competed in the finals of an Olympic football championship. Coincidentally, members of that side were later honoured at a function for those who took part in the 1948 Games.

Hickey went on to pay tribute to those who had shared in a remarkable year for Irish sports people, referring in particular to Sonia O'Sullivan, Catherina McKiernan, Emily Maher, Mark Scanlon and the successful football teams.

Referring to the withdrawal of State funding for the Irish Amateur Swimming Association, he said that the OCI abhorred the heinous and reprehensible criminal activities of the few.

"Regrettably, the suspension of grant aid to the IASA resulted in innocent athletes suffering," said Hickey. "It is the duty of the OCI to ensure that every athlete and every sport gets a fair opportunity to prepare for the Olympics. And in accordance with the Olympic charter, we have decided to try and help young Irish swimmers qualify for Sydney 2000."

Peadar Casey, the OCI treasurer, reported a deficit of £201,000 on the year's operations. This included £58,000 which has been allocated to a building reserve to purchase a suitable headquarters for the council.

Triathlon will be a medal sport in Sydney and Dermot Sherlock, the general secretary, said he was pleased to announce that the Irish Triathlon Union had joined the Olympic family.

At the function honouring the 1948 team, special presentations were also made to Brendan Foreman, who served the OCI so well in a number of capacities over the years, and the former chairman of Cospoir, Eamonn Doherty.