Show jumping is still without Government funding for 2000, following a decision by the Irish Sports Council board not to restore funding to the sport's governing body, the Show Jumping Association of Ireland (SJAI).

The decision was made by the ISC's 12-member board at a meeting in the Sports Council's Fitzwilliam Square offices on Tuesday morning, but chief executive John Treacy made no statement about the outcome of the meeting until yesterday.

"It has been decided not to restore funding to the SJAI at this time," Treacy said yesterday.

"However, the Equestrian Federation (EFI) has put in a very strong case to us in support of the SJAI and we will be meeting with and working closely with the EFI over the next few months to ensure we can resolve this issue quickly."

Treacy said the departure of the association's chief executive officer, Paddy Desmond, last week had done nothing to restore confidence in the SJAI.

Desmond had been brought in as CEO on a six-month probationary period at the beginning of May following the resignation of former director general Tony Kelly at the end of January.

However, it was announced last week that a unanimous decision had been made by the SJAI's management committee not to renew Desmond's contract and he left the association's Ballsbridge headquarters last Tuesday week.

"There is a general unease with the departure of a CEO after such a short time," Treacy said.

"Many of the original proposals regarding the future development of the SJAI centred around the appointment of a CEO. It was a vital component in restoring confidence in the SJAI."

Treacy confirmed that he was writing to the Equestrian Federation "seeking clarification on a number of issues", but would give no further details.

SJAI national chairman Tony Hurley expressed his disappointment at the news. "I'm particularly saddened that the organisers of the international shows that benefit from this funding are being left out on a limb," he said.

However, he went on to say that at a meeting on Monday night the SJAI executive had given its full backing to the management committee's decision not to renew Paddy Desmond's contract.

Sports Council funding for show jumping was withheld in 1998 due to an apparent £200,000 deficit in the 1997 accounts.

It was restored last year, with the EFI passing on £61,000 from its overall ISC grant of £255,000, but was then withheld again this year following a damning internal report last December revealing "serious and continuing irregularities" at senior management level within the SJAI.