UEFA charge Ireland over tennis ball protest

ByReuters

Updated 28/03/2019 at 12:16 GMT

UEFA opened disciplinary proceedings against Ireland on Thursday after supporters hurled tennis balls onto the field during their European Championship qualifier against Georgia.

Richard Keogh of Ireland removes a tennis ball thrown onto the pitch in protest at FAI Executive Vice President John Delaney during the 2020 UEFA European Championships group D qualifying match between Republic of Ireland and Georgia at Aviva Stadium on M

Image credit: Getty Images

The match in Dublin on Tuesday was held up for up to three minutes as Ireland fans threw dozens of tennis balls in protest at chief executive John Delaney's continued role at the Football Association of Ireland (FAI).

Delaney stood down as the FAI's chief executive last week, days before he was due to appear before lawmakers over a €100,000 loan provided to the governing body.

However, the FAI created a new position of executive vice-president for Delaney, who will remain with the association he led since 2005.

Euro Qualifying