Football Association of Ireland president Paul Cooke has revealed that the Republic of Ireland could have faced additional sanctions from UEFA had the team refused to play Sunday's Nations League fixture against Israel.
Ireland eventually took the field in Debrecen, Hungary, winning 3-0 after a week of intense debate over whether the match should go ahead. The players had held a lengthy meeting before voting by a significant majority to fulfil the fixture.
Cooke said the FAI was aware that failing to honour a UEFA fixture would carry sporting consequences, including a possible 3-0 defeat being awarded against Ireland. However, he indicated that the regulations also allow for further sanctions whose nature has not been determined.
Asked by RTÉ Sport whether UEFA had threatened Ireland with additional punishment if the game was not played, Cooke said the association had been aware of the relevant provisions in the regulations.
“The rules are clear,” Cooke said. “It specifies if we don't fulfil the fixtures what the sanctions are and then there's reference to other sanctions undetermined.”
Cooke said the eventual punishment would depend on UEFA's response to any decision not to fulfil a fixture.
He pointed to the recent case involving Southampton as an example of how additional disciplinary measures can be imposed. Southampton were expelled from the Championship play-offs after admitting to spying on opponents during the previous season.
Ireland's decision to play Israel followed months of controversy surrounding the Nations League double-header.
Calls for a boycott intensified after the teams were drawn together in Group B3, with the Stop The Game campaign and Irish Sport for Palestine among those urging Ireland not to participate.
The FAI had previously warned that forfeiting the fixtures could have serious consequences for Irish football. In July, its members voted in favour of proceeding with the matches, while the association maintained that non-fulfilment could have significant sporting and financial repercussions.
The first meeting in Debrecen was played without Ireland supporters in attendance. There was no pre-match handshake between the teams, while Ireland's players bowed their heads during Israel's national anthem.
There was also no exchange of pennants between Ireland captain Dara O'Shea and Israel captain Manor Solomon.
The Irish squad's decision to play came after an unusually tense build-up. Players had openly acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, with midfielder Jason Knight previously saying he did not believe the game should have been played.
Despite the controversy, Ireland went ahead with the fixture and recorded a 3-0 victory.
Attention now turns to the return meeting in Bačka Topola, Serbia, on October 4, when Ireland will again face Israel in a match being played behind closed doors.
Cooke said the FAI would now have to wait to see whether UEFA takes any further action relating to the circumstances surrounding Sunday's fixture.
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