Limerick FC have denied they were made aware of the FAI’s contractual obligations preventing it from sanctioning their proposed friendly against Barcelona at Thomond Park and insist they found out through the media.
The Division One club has also questioned the logic of the association claiming to be acting in the interest of the league rather than one club, when it has in the past given the go ahead to other clubs for glamour friendlies, such as last year’s game between Shamrock Rovers and Real Madrid.
The FAI claimed this evening it had informed Limerick of three reasons why the game they had pencilled in for July 31st could not go ahead and then criticised the club for bring the row in to the public domain last Thursday.
Top of the list was a contractual obligation with an unnamed commercial partner that prevented the association from sanctioning games at venues that held in excess of 15,000.
"This is completely untrue and the first mention of a capacity restriction of 15,000 was made today in the FAI statement," said
Limerick FC this evening. "Additionally the club wishes to reiterate that the official correspondence received from the Airtricity League Director (Fran Gavin) made only reference to a clash of league fixtures and no other reasons were given in that correspondence.
The FAI also said it is in negotiations with Barcelona with regards to a visit to the new Aviva Stadium next year, while it is “obliged to retain ownership of the July 31st date because of Airtricity League fixtures”.
Limerick do not dispute the FAI’s claim that Barcelona are now in talks with another club about a friendly on the same date but insist had they been allowed go ahead with their plans the Catalan giants were ready to come on board.
The FAI statement earlier this evening also insisted the associations the FAI's said its “sole objective” is “to promote and foster the game in Ireland” and any suggestions to the contrary were “simply untrue."
“Unlike commercial agents, the FAI is not in the business of profiteering from such games. Any profit the FAI does generate is delivered straight back into the development of the game.
“One of the reasons why we have entered into an arrangement with a commercial partner in relation to friendly games is to protect and maximise the value of our rights, to benefit the game as a whole."
If this were not the case, it continues, “profit made by any agent would be lost to the game”.
The participation agreement signed by all clubs at the start of the season stipulates that no “club can arrange any match without the prior consent of the national governing body,” according to the FAI. However, the condition restricting the friendly games to venues that hold fewer than 15,000 was not outlined in the agreement.
The statement added: “Under the participation agreement which all clubs signed, the FAI is entitled to enter any commercial agreements which it sees beneficial to the game. The game Limerick FC have referred to would benefit just one club.”
However, it went on to highlight the visits of Celtic, Newcastle, Liverpool, Wolves, Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Hull City and Ipswich Town as evidence of its readiness to sanction friendly games.
Limerick claim these games were for the benefit of the host clubs.