The FAI should be ‘very embarrassed’ by Sport Ireland’s decision to suspend and withhold future funding to the Association, according to Richie Sadlier.
The RTÉ Soccer pundit says it is a low moment for the FAI.
"I think they should be very, very embarrassed that they have been sanctioned by Sport Ireland in this way because of the way they have gone about their business," he said.
"I wasn’t overly impressed by Donal Conway’s [FAI President] statement this evening. He said he was 'disappointed'. I would have preferred if he had come out and admitted total responsibility and say how we [FAI] have behaved is way below the standards expected of an organisation like ours [FAI].
"I don’t know how many statements we have had from the FAI and we have had some statements of support from Irish football, but none of them have provided any clarity or information, particularly around the €100,000 issue."
"John Delaney doesn’t need an enquiry to feed him the information to be able to answer that question"
Fellow pundit Liam Brady agreed that it was the right course of action taken by Sport Ireland
"It’s par for the course," he said. "I think they have every right to withhold the money until they get serious answers to serious questions."
Sadlier added that it is crucial that tomorrow offers more transparency into the recent workings of the FAI.
"Tomorrow we can’t have any fudged answers, we can’t hear anyone from the FAI say, ‘we can only answer that when the report is concluded’, or, ‘there is an enquiry going on, we will wait’.
"They have all the answers. John Delaney doesn’t need an enquiry to feed him the information to be able to answer that question."
