The loyalist death threat which forced Glasgow Celtic midfielder Neil Lennon to pull out of the Northern Ireland team was a hoax, it was claimed today.
Sources close to the leadership of the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) insisted that the death threat was bogus and did not come from the group.
At the same time, John White of the Ulster Political Research Group said: "It is obvious this was a prank. There is no history of any organisation threatening anyone in sport."
But Mr White hit out at Catholic footballer Lennon, saying: "I think he overreacted and I think it brings into question his commitment to sport in Northern Ireland and his commitment to working for the people of Northern Ireland."
The First Minister and Ulster Unionist Party leader, Mr David Trimble condemned the threat as a "sinister and serious development which I condemn without reservation".
He said: "The safety of Neil Lennon and his family is the major consideration and it is a sad day for football, which has come through 30 years of violence, that such an incident can put one of the province's top players in a position of fear.
"It is totally unacceptable," said the MP for Upper Bann, in whose constituency the footballer's family lives.
PA