Dundalk FC midfielder Conor Clifford has been banned from all football related activities for six months as a result of betting offences committed in the UK.
The suspension applies worldwide.
Clifford admitted to 112 breaches of FA Rule E8, which prohibits players betting on football activity. The player has been £600 by the FA and been suspended for six months.
The suspension will end on 2 April 2018.
The FAI released a statement on the matter this evening:
"The Football Association of Ireland can confirm that Dundalk FC player Conor Clifford has received a six-month worldwide suspension from all football-related activities for betting offences.
"The player is suspended from October 3, 2017 through to April 2, 2018 and was fined £600 by the English Football Association for 112 breaches of FA Rule E8, in which he admitted the charge. All offences were committed in the United Kingdom.
"The ruling by FIFA was communicated to the FAI on Friday, October 6."
Dundalk released a statement this evening, stressing that the offences relate to a period before Clifford joined the club and that there was "no suggestion" he had placed any bets in his time with Stephen Kenny's team.
Here is the Dundalk statement:
"We have been informed by the English Football Association that, having pleaded guilty to charges of gambling on football matches during his time as a player under their jurisdiction, Conor Clifford has been banned from playing in England for six months with immediate effect.
"This ban has been extended by FIFA to cover all football activity worldwide.
"The charges all refer to a time before Conor signed for Dundalk Football Club and there is no suggestion at all that he continued to place bets after joining the club.
"Since we were made aware of this matter we have co-operated fully with the Football Association in their investigation.
"These events took place during an unhappy period of Conor’s time in England. The club have assisted Conor throughout this process and will continue to provide appropriate support.
"Dundalk Football Club fully supports efforts to maintain the integrity of the sport to ensure that players and officials do not place bets on any matches."
Clifford joined Dundalk at the beginning of 2017, having spent the previous decade in England, initially with Chelsea.
He spent four years at the Stamford Bridge club without making a senior appearance before spells with the likes of Plymouth, Yeovil, Notts County, Portsmouth, Crawley, Leicester, Southend, Barnet and Boreham Wood.
