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Footballers from Northern Ireland do not have the right to play for the Republic of Ireland, despite the Good Friday Agreement.The Observer has learnt that Fifa - soccer's international ruling body - will not change its internal rules in order to allow players to choose which nation to represent. At a meeting with the Belfast-based Irish Football Association (IFA) last month, Fifa said it would prevent the southern Football Association of Ireland (FAI) from offering places to young northerners in the southern national squad.
Fifa was forced to act after the IFA made a complaint alleging that the Dublin-based football association was poaching young players from nationalist parts of Northern Ireland. 'A fortnight ago Fifa told the IFA that the FAI had to comply by the end of the month to the ruling or else it would be taken up by the world body's executive committee. Basically the IFA won but the [IFA] doesn't want to say so because it is loath to cause a cross-border row with their southern counterparts,' one of the sources told The Observer.'Nationalists, including the Irish Foreign Minister, have argued that under the Belfast Agreement you have the right to be either Irish or British and because of that young players from nationalist backgrounds have a right to choose between Northern Ireland or the Republic.
'The IFA's legal team pointed out that Fifa is a private organisation with its own rules and can't therefore be dictated to by a political treaty like the Belfast Agreement. Fifa agreed with this analysis - the Belfast Agreement has nothing do with Fifa's rules,' the source added.
He pointed out that during discussions in Zurich two weeks ago, Fifa raised the issue of its internal Circular 901, a ruling which barred three Brazilian stars from turning out for the Gulf State of Qatar in 2004. 'Circular 901 was basically the precedent case that bolstered the IFA's challenge,' the source said.
All three football associations refused this weekend to confirm that Fifa had made a ruling favourable to the IFA. A Fifa spokesman said: 'We are waiting on feedback from Fifa's own legal representatives.'
Northern Ireland supporters, however, have welcomed news that Fifa is about to plug the leakage of some young players into the Republic's football squad. According to highly placed sources, football's world governing body also agreed that Irish Republic passport holders who are otherwise entitled to play for the northern team could now turn out for Northern Ireland and would be issued with a special Fifa certificate at the team's away games. It is understood this initiative was proposed by the IFA, which under its Chief Executive, Howard Wells wanted to remove the rule that only British passport holders could play for Northern Ireland.
Gary McAllister, the secretary of the Amalgamated Northern Ireland Supporters Club, said fans would support moves to allow Irish passport-holders to play for the northern team.
'It's very encouraging that Fifa is going to rule that players can't be poached or defect from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland. Fans will also be pleased that the IFA has sought to solve the passports issue.
'Most fair-minded supporters are just glad that young lads are wearing the green jersey of Northern Ireland, they don't really care what passport that player holds,' he said.
But former Mayor of Derry and SDLP Assembly member Pat Ramsey vowed yesterday to raise the issue again with the Irish Foreign Minister. Ramsey has fought for the right of young players based in Derry to play for the Republic rather than Northern Ireland.
'How is it right that a guy with Irish parents who lives in Birmingham, Boston or Budapest could play for the Republic of Ireland yet someone who lives just up the road in Derry or Newry can't? I will be asking Dermot Ahern to take up this issue again with Fifa and to defend the right of young nationalists to play for the Republic just as I would defend the right of anyone who wanted to play for Northern Ireland,' he said.
Picking sides
Darron Gibson: A Derry-born player who played for Northern Ireland at schoolboy level. After joining Manchester United Gibson switched to the Republic of Ireland. Now on loan to Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers, Gibson is in the Republic's Under-21 squad. The expected Fifa ruling does not apply retrospectively so he will remain a player for the Republic.
Alex Bruce: The son of Manchester United's former captain and current Birmingham City manager Steve Bruce could have qualified to play for Northern Ireland because his grandparents were born in Bangor, Co Down. Bruce Junior received three invitations to play for Northern Ireland at Under-21 level but instead chose the Republic. His decision in 2006 provoked a clash between the North's then manager Lawrie Sanchez and the FAI.
Alan Kernaghan: Although born in Yorkshire the central defender was eligible to play for Northern Ireland because his parents came from there. But he chose to play for the Republic and earned 26 caps under Jack Charlton including games at the 1994 World Cup in the United States. Kernaghan was the subject of prolonged booing and jeering at Windsor Park in Belfast during a tense World Cup qualifier between the Republic and Northern Ireland which ended in a 1-1 draw and the southern team qualifying for the finals.
