Latest news with #IrishFootballAssociation
BBC News
06-08-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Reds call on IFA to change process after Burrows case
Cliftonville have called on the Irish Football Association (IFA) to review its process of how suspensions are communicated after Reds captain Kelsie Burrows was cleared of assaulting a match official. On the IFA's website, Burrows' ban was listed as 16 matches for "assault on a match official (whether or not causing bodily harm)" after Cliftonville's Women's Premiership win over Glentoran on 25 Northern Ireland defender was shown a red card by referee Simon Bickerstaff after the incident involving one of his she was cleared of the initial charge after Cliftonville's successful 'obvious error challenge' to the County Antrim FA disciplinary a result, Burrows' red card still stands and she now faces a shorter two-match ban on a reclassified Tuesday, Burrows said "the stress of being accused of something I knew I didn't do was incredibly emotionally difficult". While Cliftonville said the club were "pleased" that their 'obvious error challenge' was successful, they asked the IFA to review "how such matters are communicated on their website"."We believe that only the final outcomes of the disciplinary process, once exhausted, should be reported," added the club's statement. "Issuing lists of offences and associated sanctions while a process is under way gives a misleading impression, particularly when such serious offences are stated, as was the case in this instance. "Publishing what appears to be a final position can lead to issues beyond football for the person concerned, both in their personal life and work environment. We ask the IFA to give this due consideration."The IFA has been approached for comment. 'Incredibly emotionally difficult' Burrows, who represented Northern Ireland at the 2022 Euros, said she was "relieved and appreciative" that Cliftonville's challenge was successful. "The original sanction was not only going to affect my ability to play the sport I love, but it also took a significant toll on my mental and social well-being," added the former Blackburn and Linfield player. "The stress of being accused of something I knew I didn't do was incredibly emotionally difficult, and it placed strain on my relationships both on and off the pitch."I'm proud to represent both Cliftonville and Northern Ireland, and I've always tried to conduct myself with professionalism and respect for the game. "I'm thankful the challenge process acknowledged the full context of the incident, and I now look forward to moving on and continuing to give everything for my club and country."
The South African
10-07-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs youth coach bags UEFA A License
Kaizer Chiefs youth coach Tshidiso Letsholonyane has completed his UEFA A Coaching License. Letsholonyane, who is currently the Amakhosi U17 team coach, enrolled with the Irish Football Association (IFA). The 33-year-old had been longing to do his UEFA Coaching badges since 2020 but he was unable to due to Covid-19. Nonetheless, Letsholonyane finally took and completed this major step which could go a long way in his coaching career. The Jabavu-born mentor did not have a successful playing career but he remained committed to staying within the football circles. Letsholonyane is a product of Chiefs' Academy who did not get to taste first team football during his playing days. He was promoted to the Amakhosi senior team in 2011 but subsequently loaned our to Dynamos in the then National First Division (NFD). He returned to Chiefs a year later but continued to play for the reserves until his first team contract expired in 2014. Letsholonyane, who is Yeye's younger brother, was forced to retire soon afterwards due to a serious knee injury. Let us know your thoughts by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
TimesLIVE
01-07-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Spending R300k on coaching badges a good investment: Mayambela
After recently obtaining his Uefa A licence through the Irish Football Association, former Orlando Pirates fan darling Mark Mayambela has revealed he's forked out at least R300,000, equipping himself with coaching badges. 'It's been a good journey, an expensive journey, but it's worth it. I've spent about R300,000 to get all the coaching qualifications I have,' Mayambela. 'For this Uefa A licence, I spent about R130,000, which includes visas, flights and accommodation in Europe. It's a two-year programme and each year you pay more than R40,000.' The retired dribbling wizard, who nowadays is a youth coach at Cape Town City, insists that getting all the coaching qualifications was worth every penny. Mayambela also disclosed they split all the costs of his coaching badges with his younger brother and Bafana Bafana winger Mihlali, who plies his trade with Cypriot club Aris Limassol, barring the CAF C licence that was paid by the SA Football Players' Union (Safpu).
BBC News
11-06-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Windsor Park in play for Crocker-Donovan rematch
Windsor Park, Northern Ireland's National Football Stadium, remains in contention to host boxing's rematch between Lewis Crocker and Paddy 20 September is the tentative date with background talks ongoing between the promoter, Irish Football Association and Northern Ireland's Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, to turn the stadium into a boxing arena for the first time since Carl Frampton defeated Luke Jackson in August is understood there is a desire on all sides to make this a reality, but it will be determined by the bottom line and that is to ensure the show can deliver financially.A meeting is scheduled on Thursday with Lyons and later in the month with the Irish FA, who are keen to host the understood that a crowd of circa 16,000 would be required to break even, with the first fight between the pair at Belfast's SSE Arena in March drawing in that occasion, Limerick's Donovan fell to his first career defeat against Belfast's Crocker by way of disqualification, despite dominating the contest, which was billed as a final eliminator for Jaron 'Boots' Ennis' IBF welterweight title. The US-based sanctioning body ordered a rematch between the pair in May, having somewhat sided with the Donovan's team's protest their man - despite having points deducted in rounds six and eight - was harshly treated when finally thrown out bey referee Marcus McDonnell for persistent fouls, culminating with heavy blows landed after the bell in round nine. Their desire to have the initial fight ruled as a no-contest was not way, there has been a desire on all sides to run it back, and that is certainly set to happen, but the where and when is still to be the aftermath of their first meeting, Eddie Hearn, Matchroom Sport's boss and promoter of both fighters, indicated an interest in moving the rematch outdoors, but that came with the caveat of it making financial is, of course, precedent for the NI Executive to bolster an outdoor megafight, as in September 2013, it rowed in behind Carl Frampton's IBF super-bantamweight title win over Kiko Martinez with a purpose-built, 16,000 stadium erected at Titanic night bolstered the local economy by millions and although this event is not on such a scale, it would prove a huge shot in the it is uncertain whether Ennis will vacate his title and step up to light-middleweight by autumn, the winner could be set with the task of taking on the American for a portion of the title from one of boxing's marquee divisions or indeed, win the vacant strap.
Belfast Telegraph
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Belfast Telegraph
IFA poised to to follow FA's move in banning trans women from footballing competitions
The Irish Football Association appears set to follow its English and Scottish counterparts after they banned transgender women from competitive female events. The Football Association's (FA) move comes after the UK Supreme Court ruling on the Equality Act which clarified that references to sex in the Equality Act meant biological sex. In confirming that trans women would no longer be able to play in women's football in England from June 1, the English FA said: 'We understand that this will be difficult for people who simply want to play the game they love in the gender by which they identify and we are contacting the registered transgender women currently playing to explain the changes and how they can continue to stay involved in the game.' The Scottish Football Association has also announced a new policy that comes into effect for the 2025-26 season, limiting competitive women's football from under-13s upwards to biological women. The IFA told the Belfast Telegraph it will 'review the judgment' from the Supreme Court ruling. They said: 'We will review the judgment and interim guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. We are committed to taking the necessary steps to fulfil our obligations under the Equality Act 2010, as clarified by this ruling.' DUP MP Carla Lockhart welcomed the FA's move as 'logical and sensible step' which 'must provide a guide' for others to follow. The Upper Bann MP added: 'Policies short of this clear-cut decision simply aren't sufficient to protect either the integrity or the safety of women competing in sports and the FA's example must now be followed by others, including here in Northern Ireland. 'There is no reason for dither or delay in the protection of women.' Both the English and Scottish FAs had previously allowed trans women to compete in female competitions provided they reduced their testosterone to accepted levels. English cricket is also prepared to join the FA in their rule change, it's understood. The Supreme Court ruling clarified some of the terms used in the Equality Act. Within that, the court ruled that Section 195 of the Act, which allows the lawful exclusion of athletes from gender-affected sports based on sex, was "plainly predicated on biological sex" rather than certificated sex.
