ON A DAY when long-serving FAI Board member Jim McConnell vacated his seat, Finn Harps’ delegate said that the FAI AGM was a case of ‘same old, same old’.
Eight members of a new board for the embattled FAI were elected at the AGM in Trim, County Meath.
Donal Conway was re-elected as FAI President in spite of calls from the Minister for Sport, Shane Ross, and Sport Ireland for him to step aside. Conway was elected unopposed with 134 votes in favour, five against and one abstention.
“I have absolutely no intention of being involved post that interim board,” said Conway.
“If in the meantime there were circumstances that it would be the right thing for the association that I would step away, I would not hesitate to do that.”
Conway said that the FAI was in ‘crisis’ and were ‘fire fighting’ with Government funding currently frozen and several investigations to the affairs at Abbotstown ongoing.
Paul Cooke defeated Gerry McAnaney by 80 votes to 57 in a vote for the position of Vice-President.
Further, Martin Heraghty (Sligo Rovers) and Dick Shakespere (UCD) were appointed to the League of Ireland seats, while John Finnegan and Dave Moran took the amateur football posts and Joe O’Brien was put in place from the Colleges FAI.
Finn Harps delegate Paul McLoone
John Earley, who had resigned from the Board in June, is back having been put forward by the SFAI.
Four independent members of the Board will be selected by a nominations committee. It is recommended that one-third of the Board is comprised of females – but all eight selected today are male.
Buncrana native McConnell had been the longest serving FAI Board member having been first elected in January 2004. The 74-year-old had been put forward for the role 15 years ago by the Ulster FA.
There were no accounts presented to delegates today due to the ongoing investigations into the FAI’s dealings.
“A lot of decisions being made on the blind,” Harps delegate Paul McLoone said.
“I don’t know the board nominations but I doubt there are too many females.
“The whole public perception will be same old, same old. I’m not sure this has been a good day at all.”
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