FAI web police to clamp down

[MariborKev]

This has potentially serious implications for fans who are involved with their club's official website.

I can't remember the exact wording but there was a small column in the Indo today that eircom League clubs will be fined in the future if "contentious" material appears on the club website.

Furthermore if a club wishes to appeal any issue they will have to lodge €5k and will lose this deposit if their appeal is rejected.

[sligoman]

"Section 10 — Official Club Publications and Comment by Employees

Rule 26. All Member Clubs are responsible for the content of all materials appearing in official club publications including but not limited to match programmes and web sites.

The Board of Control reserves the right under Rule 21 to charge any Member Club, or their officials, employees, managers or players with objectionable conduct for a breach of this Rule. In exercising this power, the Board of Control shall follow the procedures laid down in Rule 21.7. Comments made in the media by any of their officials, employees, manager or players are also subject to the provisions of this rule."

[Philo]

Good old sleazebox Delaney and his mates cementing their position of power by silencing any possible dissenting voices. I wonder if anyone can guess which club's secretary was instrumental in getting his law passed?

[Dr.Nightdub]

*remembers what he just wrote for the programme for the Rovers match* Oops.

[Bald Student]

If it's in the eL rulebook does it not mean that the 22 clubs voted it in. That seems an odd move.

What's the definition of contentious used? It's a very vague word and it could cost a club 5,000 euro to find out if something is contentious or not.

[CollegeTillIDie]

Well folks you need to keep those kind of comments on the unofficial websites then!

[Billy Lord]

Stupid ruling, and typical of a heirarchy that hasn't a clue.

[A face]

Well, if the clubs voted for it then its their problem to police it etc.

But i would be concerned about the FAI going mad on this one ... actually following through with fines etc. ... also depending on the content. By that i mean if the content is actually true and the FAI are trying to silence people, no THAT i WOULD have a problem with.

We'll all be watching anyway .... and if they actually exercise this unfairly, then it will contribute to our (the fans) opinion of the FAI, and as the largest group of stakeholders in irish football, it probably wouldn't be a good thing for the FAI.

[A face]

Got rid of Fran Rooney .... Got rid of Kerr ..... Kept Givens on ???

[pete]

Does this extent to certain club websites posting confidential reports on their forums?

[A face]

Does this extent to certain club websites posting confidential reports on their forums?

I dunno ... maybe there are exceptions to the rule !!

[dahamsta]

I've deleted a half dozen posts in this thread, for the same reason that I agree with the FAI ruling, if true*: Garbage like that isn't welcome here, and it shouldn't be welcome on official sites. (I'm still stunned that official sites actually still have forums.)

You keep posting it boys, I'll keep deleting it.

adam

* I'm agreeing with the concept, not the actual rule itself. Obviously the person that wrote the rule is a moron.

[monutdfc]

The first part of the rule was not passed.

I am moving our forum to an unofficial home though!

[A face]

The first part of the rule was not passed.

Which part is that ?? .... is this the full rule ??

"Section 10 — Official Club Publications and Comment by Employees

Rule 26. All Member Clubs are responsible for the content of all materials appearing in official club publications including but not limited to match programmes and web sites.

The Board of Control reserves the right under Rule 21 to charge any Member Club, or their officials, employees, managers or players with objectionable conduct for a breach of this Rule. In exercising this power, the Board of Control shall follow the procedures laid down in Rule 21.7. Comments made in the media by any of their officials, employees, manager or players are also subject to the provisions of this rule."

Also

I am moving our forum to an unofficial home though!

There is a forum on here for ya !!

[tiktok]

The Ostrich has a similar approach to dealing with adversity.

While I agree that some of the stuff that is allowed on official club forums surprises me, I find the fact that they feel they have the right to censure clubs over e.g. Chairman's notes in a club programme absolutley laughable.

[monutdfc]

Here's what our Club Licensing Officer posted on our forum:

the first part of the rule was not passed and clubs cannot be held responsible for comments by officers. However clubs have an obligation to ensure the officers do not bring the game into disrepute and the league will punish any officer who does so.

(There's no change there as far as I can see - wasn't this always the case?)

He goes on to say

Clubs will be held to account for any comments made on its forum (official website) and webmasters will be required to remove offensive comments as soon as possible.

My biggest problem with our forum has been libellous remarks made about individuals within the club. I can have the disclaimers I like, but I still reckon I could be sued if the forum is official or unofficial.
There's a difference between "offensive" remarks and criticism.

[Gareth]

Hmmm, to be honest I think fair comment can not be punished where it may appear criticial but accurate. The appeals structure seems to suggest that its a punishment rather than a fair trial. To be quite honest I am perfectly happy with the main content of the Shels site and see no worry there, and as for the chatboard, it is regulated as best a website can be and we frequently edit or remove offensive threads, banning users if repeated offences occur. After that, I don't see how any club can do more than that. I am not duly concerned about the new rule as I feel quite happy about our content.

[gufct]

pointing out what is wrong with the running of Football by the FAI. Every club got a letter about it in the last month seems like its the gestapo are running our beautiful game.It stinks to the high heavens of one mans quest for total domination while everyone sits back and lets him away with it.

[monzo]

Say if someone posts something "contentious" stuff on the clubs forum, would the club be fined then?

Also they should be wanting the fans view of things, as the FAI know F-All about how to bring the game forward and I doubt they actually discuss about how to bring it forward.

Would constructive criticism be acceptable? Like say on programmes they make suggestions on how to promote the eL / where change needs to be implemented...

[pineapple stu]

Furthermore if a club wishes to appeal any issue they will have to lodge €5k and will lose this deposit if their appeal is rejected.

Disgraceful. E5k in addition to whatever fine they got in the first place!!! When you consider before this season the record eL fine was E400! Even Shels' antics this season only brought that up to about E3k. And now bad-mouthing Delaney and co is to be seen as twice as serious an offence again!

Quite remarkable that the league have nothing better to be doing than reading other clubs' websites and forums for bold comments. And yet they fell quite entitled to slag off eL clubs on their own website (viz the comment on UCD I mentioned in the "FAI telling lies again" thread). Haven't even had so much as an acknowledgement to my e-mail over that. Disgraceful.