Sport

Ireland hockey’s World Cup participation in doubt as clubs challenge new fees structure

20 Ulster clubs question paying membership fees per individual rather than per club

Ireland celebrate winning the World Cup European qualifier. Their participation in the tournament may now be in doubt. Photograph: Giuseppe Fama/Inpho

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Johnny Watterson
Tue Nov 16 2021 - 11:11

Ireland’s participation in next year’s women’s World Cup will come under serious threat if resolutions are passed at an upcoming Hockey Ireland (HI) extraordinary general meeting (EGM).

The Irish team, who played in their first Olympic Games in Tokyo during the summer, qualified for their second successive World Cup tournament last month when they beat Wales in the final of the European qualifier.

The EGM has been called by 20 clubs, who are constituent members of Ulster Hockey. The clubs are challenging decisions that had previously been passed by members in a general meeting (GM) regarding membership fees.

The GM agreed to a restructuring of how fees are paid and individuals rather than teams per club are now being asked to fund the sport. The current format, according to HI, is no longer sufficient.

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HI is responsible for the sport throughout the four provinces with up to 40,000 members registered with clubs and a further 15,000 that play in schools that are not registered.

A letter, seen by The Irish Times and sent to all of the clubs outlines, in bleak terms, the consequences for the sport if the resolutions are passed at the EGM and explains the current level of funding from clubs and members cannot not sustain hockey in Ireland.

“In summary there are two outcomes from the EGM,” says the letter.

“The resolutions are passed. In this case it may result in all the directors resigning with immediate effect. HI may be in breach of contracts and financial undertakings. Hockey in Ireland may cease immediately and State support may be withdrawn with immediate effect.”

All of the money spent on High Performance, which is predominantly the men’s and women’s Irish squads, is provided solely by Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland and sponsors.

In the hopes of performing well in the World Cup, which takes place in the Netherlands and Spain next summer, state funding would traditionally increase in the months prior. Affiliation fees from clubs are the only source of income to pay for all of the sport’s administration and other services.

“You will be aware that an EGM has been called by 20 member clubs who are constituent members of Ulster Hockey,” states the letter. “The resolutions being proposed by these clubs are challenging decisions that have previously been democratically passed by the members in general meeting (GM) and are now being implemented by the board.

“On the basis of the decision made by the members, your board entered into legally binding contracts in respect of IT support and insurance, which have been in place since Aug ust 1st 2021.

“It is very important to note that to date the clubs requisitioning the EGM have not put forward any financial projections or solutions to replace this revenue stream.”

The letter also outlines how HI has received approximately €180,000 in membership fees, based on members currently registered on the system and it is estimated that with full compliance the total will be €450,000. Since the introduction of the scheme, nearly 7,000 new members have signed up.

The pressure to introduce a membership scheme came from Government agencies and changes in how other sports were funding themselves. The correspondence states that HI is only one of two National Governing Bodies out of 25 that are not funded through a membership scheme.