FAI gathers evidence over alleged racist abuse of Adam Idah

The Football Association of Ireland is gathering video and audio evidence to establish whether Adam Idah was racially abused during the Republic of Ireland’s 3-0 Nations League win over Israel on Sunday. BBC Sport reported that the association is setting up a panel to examine the material before deciding whether to submit a complaint to Uefa.

According to the BBC, Ireland midfielder Jayson Molumby alerted match officials during play to chanting he believed was abusive, asking them to listen to the Israel supporters. After the game, the officials told FAI staff they had not subsequently heard racist chanting. The allegation therefore remains unconfirmed, with the association seeking additional evidence from recordings of the match.

The BBC reported that FAI representatives also discussed the matter with the Uefa match delegate. They were told that the usual procedures had not been followed because no clear allegation of racism had been reported during play, preventing a Uefa investigation at that stage. The FAI’s own review will include high-quality match footage and recordings from microphones positioned beside the pitch.

If its panel concludes there is evidence suggesting Idah was abused, the association intends to make a complaint and ask European football’s governing body to investigate further. The timing of any submission remains uncertain. BBC Sport said it was unclear whether the FAI would present a case before or after the next meeting with Israel, scheduled for Sunday behind closed doors in Backa Topola, Serbia.

Idah, who plays for Swansea City, scored Ireland’s second goal in the victory. He was unaware of any possible abuse while the match was taking place, the BBC reported, and is receiving support from team-mates and staff ahead of the squad’s remaining three fixtures during the international break. The BBC said it had approached Uefa for comment.

The match took place in Debrecen, Hungary, despite being designated an Ireland home fixture. Around 300 Israel supporters attended, while no tickets were sold to Irish fans. It was played amid protests over Ireland facing Israel; the FAI had voted earlier in the year to fulfil the fixtures because of concerns about possible fines and exclusion from competitions if it boycotted them.