FAI: Association faces funding threat after proposal fails to pass

The Football Association of Ireland is required to have a gender representation of 40% by the end of 2023

The Football Association of Ireland is facing a threat to its funding from the Irish government after a proposal to allow two additional female candidates to join its board failed to pass.

The required 75% threshold for the proposal to pass was not reached.

The Irish government has threatened to cut funding, worth 4.3m euro, if its directive to have 40% gender balance is not met by the end of 2023.

The FAI says it is its "intention to be compliant" with the directive.

The vote was taken at an emergency general meeting on Thursday and a 75% majority was required for the constitution change to the FAI's board was to pass. With 76 for and 38 against, it only passed by 66% so the motion failed.

The proposal would have seen two additional female members take the number on the board to 14 in total, with a even seven-seven split between those from the football side and independent directors from outside the sport - a requirement from 2019 following the association's governance crisis.

Other sporting bodies have to comply with the 40% for gender representation by the end of the year - another requirement set out by the Irish government as part of its rescue package by the association.

A FAI statement read: "The FAI board will now reflect on the decision, work through the next steps, and have a revised position for the general assembly to review at the December 9th AGM.

"It remains the FAI's firm position to achieve the required 40% female representation on the board."