IRISH FOOTBALL Association president Raymond Kennedy appears to have reversed a decision to resign over a scathing report of his sacking of former chief executive Howard Wells.
Vice-president David Martin has also remained in his position despite a statement from the Irish FA last month that he had already quit and that Mr Kennedy would go in September.
Both men took part at an executive meeting of the IFA in Belfast on Thursday evening with Mr Martin in the chair. It was reported that when the men were asked about their current status, Mr Martin did not reply while Mr Kennedy replied that he was “going nowhere”.
Mr Wells took an unfair dismissal case following his dismissal in 2008 which cost the Irish FA some £500,000. The association settled the case before it went to a government-commissioned review carried out by the Northern Ireland sports council.
Stormont culture, arts and leisure minister Nelson McCausland has warned that local soccer could lose millions in funding if Mr Kennedy and Mr Martin stay in their jobs. Their apparent decisions put the IFA leadership on a collision course with the Stormont Executive.
“Significant payouts to former employees have diverted resources from those who play and support football at all levels and, as a result, has eroded public confidence in the IFA,” Mr McCausland said.
“An extremely damaging independent review into the circumstances surrounding the sacking of the previous IFA chief executive found that the two most senior officers of the association acted in the knowledge of the financial risk of their actions for the association.”
He added: “I would have great difficulty in placing further public funds in the hands of an organisation where these individuals remained in a senior position.” He was looking for early action by the IFA to address his concerns.
“It is of crucial importance that the IFA wins back the confidence of government if the association is to benefit from future support from the public purse.”
The new chief executive, Patrick Nelson, has said the IFA is carrying out a review of its operations following the critical report on the sacking of Mr Wells.