Sir, – While I appreciate that there may be some raised eyebrows over the €5 million payment to the FAI from Fifa, the FAI has to be congratulated for obtaining what was initially an interest-free loan from Fifa. It has to be further applauded in subsequently getting the loan written off by Fifa.
In summary, it was an excellent business deal for the association.
The facts relating to the payment are, as can be seen from the FAI bank statements, that the deposit was lodged in the FAI’s bank account by Fifa and subsequently withdrawn from the account in two separate transactions as part of FAI’s contribution towards the Aviva Stadium building project. This is very clear and transparent from the bank statements, so there is absolutely no controversy on the part of the FAI in relation to this payment.
The reason for the nondisclosure at the time is also a “no-brainer”.
What other organisation in their right mind would unnecessarily expose themselves to a potential $250,000 fine or its euro equivalent in breaching the confidentiality agreement reached with Fifa?
There has been much talk about the recent England international and the fact that it was the 20th anniversary of the previous infamous home encounter with the “old enemy” which was abandoned due to crowd trouble. If you cast your minds back to that night, the hooligans tore up the wooden seats in one of the old stands. Contrast this with the modern Aviva Stadium, of which we can all be proud.
Like many organisations, sporting and otherwise, the FAI has not been immune to the effects of the recession and has managed its finances prudently to reflect this position. So it’s plain for everybody to see that the payment was put to very good use toward the cost of Aviva Stadium and was not mismanaged in any way.
Further positive effects of this payment were the FAI’s successful bid to host the 2011 Europa League final in the Aviva Stadium (Dublin Arena) and subsequently Dublin being selected as one of the cities to jointly host the 2020 European championships, which is a “win-win” situation for businesses and hotels alike. – Yours, etc,
JAMES FREEMAN,
Swords,
Co Dublin.