FAI solve referees row

THE FAI have resolved the refereeing dispute which recently resulted in an embarrassing court case for the association. The two referees concerned, Michael Tomney and Tommy Traynor, have agreed to a settlement for sums "substantially less than the amounts (£20,000 each) awarded in the Circuit Court.

The FAI statement acknowledged that "this represented a considerable compromise on the part of Michael and Tommy which was, made in the interests of the game as a whole and on behalf of their fellow referees, in an effort to ensure that all the remaining competitions are completed in their entirety."

Tomney and Traynor have been reinstated along with seven other officials on the National League panel, as will the 140 other junior referees who were also affected by the Court ruling "through no fault of their own."

A spokesperson for the National League yesterday clarified the position in relation to the transfer system in the National League in light of the Jean Marc Bosman ruling, and, it has to be said, an inaccurate report in The Irish Times yesterday.

"The exact position here is that a European law comes into effect, the same as everywhere else, on the 29th. Then, any players out of contract are free to move anywhere else that they want except if they're moving within the jurisdiction off the FAI. There then is a transfer fee involved."

In fact, no decision was taken at last Monday night's board of control meeting except that the National League would have to abide by the European law. In the meantime, UCD's Dr Tony O'Neill will investigate comparative examples in, say Holland and Britain, and report back to the board.

. Ajax striker Patrick Kluivert is to stand trial in Amsterdam on May 1st charged with manslaughter following a car crash on September 9th last year. Marten Putman (56), the director of a Rotterdam theatre, was killed and his wife seriously injured in the collision. Kluivert has already admitted speeding.