The Republic of Ireland soccer team was bracing itself for sanctions from the European football authorities last night after the Government refused visas to the Yugoslav team, which was due to play in Dublin on Saturday.
Ireland could be expelled from the Euro 2000 championship by UEFA, the governing body of European football. A UEFA source, quoted by the BBC, said: "If there are no visas, there will be no match, and if there is no match, Ireland will lose by forfeit." The source added that Ireland could be thrown out of the championship.
UEFA is examining a range of other options, including levying a fine on the Football Association of Ireland and rescheduling the game to a neutral venue.
In Germany last night the Taoiseach criticised UEFA for its refusal to accede to EU requests to cancel or postpone the match. He told reporters at the EU summit in Cologne that he was "very disappointed". Mr Ahern said: "I just hope now, in the deliberations that will go on between the FAI and UEFA, that the FAI will be able to protect their position in the competition. Though I have to say UEFA were not helpful about any of that . . . to put it bluntly, they refused to give any commitment whatsoever about anything."
The Taoiseach pointed out that the Government had "tried everything" in recent weeks to reach an understanding with UEFA, but had been left with no alternative but to withhold the visas. He said that it would be "a disgrace if the FAI were discriminated against over this issue".
Last-minute talks in Germany yesterday between EU sports ministers and UEFA and FIFA officials failed to resolve the issue.
Government sources said last night that there were no plans to compensate the FAI for the significant loss in revenue arising from the refusal of visas. The FAI stands to lose about £2 million from cancellation of the fixture.
The FAI's chief executive, Mr Bernard O'Byrne, commented: "I think the decision not to allow the game to go ahead is the right one. At no stage did we seek to have the game called off on political grounds, but we consider the Government made the correct move."
Mr Pat Quigley, president of the FAI, said: "We felt all along it would be imprudent to play the game at this time, but we do hope that we can quickly get together with UEFA and decide on a new date when the game might be played and our group completed."