The FAI have been fined €4,699 for displaying the commemorative 1916 logo on their shirts against Switzerland in March.
The official FIFA wording was for ''the display of a political symbol'' but
It's a lenient enough fine when you consider what the rest of the 'Home Nations' got for displaying the poppy. England got hit with a €42,000 fine for defying FIFA's orders and displaying the flower on their armbands. Scotland and Wales have both received €18,600 fines for the same symbol with the Northern Irish FA fined €14,000.
The Disciplinary Committee took the action on the following grounds per chairman Claudio Suser
With these decisions, it is not our intention to judge or question specific commemorations as we fully respect the significance of such moments in the respective countries, each one of them with its own history and background.
However, keeping in mind that the rules need to be applied in a neutral and fair manner across FIFA’s 211 member associations, the display, among others, of any political or religious symbol is strictly prohibited. In the stadium and on the pitch, there is only room for sport, nothing else.
None of the associations involved have yet responded to the charges. You can read the full FIFA statement here.
This is final victory for Tory MP Damian Collins who alerted FIFA to the Irish jersey in question during the latest "Poppygate" in November.
Ireland football shirt marking centenary of the Easter Rising. Why won't #FIFA let England wear a poppy @BBCr4today pic.twitter.com/uGTwQr9Q5c
— Damian Collins (@DamianCollins) November 2, 2016
In fine Irish tradition, the FAI had seemingly gotten away with this rather harmless mark to a special occasion by not making a big deal of it and working away. When the British teams wished to mark their occasion, they rather foolishly decided to ask FIFA's permission, a body known worldwide for its adversarial approach to common sense. When refused, Mr. Collins took it upon himself to point fingers, and that finger pointing has cost us dear.
The FAI will have to pay almost the entire amount of a grant to a League of Ireland club. Thankfully, St Pats refused the FAI's grant, meaning grassroots football shouldn't suffer too much as a result of Mr. Collins' big mouth.
