FAI not to allow Serbia to transmit match

Serbian television will not be given RTE's live coverage of the Republic of Ireland's football match against Yugoslavia at Lansdowne Road next Saturday.

The Football Association of Ireland decided this unanimously at a conflict.

"We're happy that this is the right decision in light of the current situation surrounding this game," said the FAI president, Mr Pat Quigley.

"It was our call on whether or not the pictures would be available for broadcast outside the country. Previous contractual agreements with Yugoslavia was not a factor and it was a unanimous decision amongst the council that we would put the restriction on the television coverage for this game."

RTE, however, will still show the match on national television, as it has the exclusive rights to broadcast the Republic's home qualifying matches. Mr Kevin Healey, RTE's director of public affairs, said the station had no say in whether or not Yugoslavia would get pictures of the match.

"From our point of view there was no decision to be taken," he said. "We only have the rights to show the match in Ireland. The FAI owns the rights to transmission abroad and if a foreign TV station wants access to them they approach the FAI and do a deal with them."

He confirmed that the match would also be broadcast on RTE radio and that anyone in Yugoslavia with access to the Internet would be able to listen to it there. RTE would "reflect the public debate surrounding the game, as well as the concerns which give rise to that debate," he added.

Several Cabinet ministers have already called for the fixture to be called off, and the Minister for Sport, Dr McDaid, has said there will be no Government representation at the match at Lansdowne Road.

A Government spokesman last night welcomed the FAI decision.