FAI say Cascarino clear

The FAI have insisted that Tony Cascarino was eligible to play for the Republic of Ireland at all times during his 88-cap career.

The association's chief executive, Bernard O'Byrne, said in a statement yesterday that they had presented all of the circumstances outlined to them by the former player to a senior official in the Department of Foreign Affairs and that the opinion they received back was a positive one.

"We have made it clear to Tony now that this official is available to talk to him and go through all of the various questions that have been raised with him, but as far we are concerned there is not a problem," said O'Byrne.

According to the association, Cascarino could have had a passport in 1985, when he first opted to play for the Republic, and, having played one game while holding a temporary Irish passport, was entitled to turn that into a permanent one then.

"He could have done that, and while he seems to be under the impression that he was refused a passport at some stage, the Department insist that that is not the case. In any case, he was granted one in 1996 when he applied."

O'Byrne added that he was sorry that the Cascarino incident had cast doubts over the eligibility of other players, but he remarked: "We are entirely satisfied that all of the players currently involved with the squad are perfectly entitled to the passports they hold, and we think that it is a great shame that doubts have been cast concerning some of them because of the statements made by Tony recently."