Wells sacking decision for review

By Julian O'Neill BBC Newsline

Howard Wells received a payout from the IFA

The Irish Football Association's decision to sack its former chief executive, Howard Wells, is to be reviewed.

The organisation's president, Raymond Kennedy, is under pressure over his handling of the affair.

The review will involve Sport NI which has, on behalf of Government, examined the running of the IFA.

It is understood Sport NI and senior IFA figures have already met to discuss the development.

It comes at a time when public confidence in the IFA is under the spotlight.

The alarm bells in government had already sounded, with sports minister Nelson McCausland expressing concern at the pay-out to Mr Wells.

News of this review will only add to the pressure on Windsor Avenue's top man, President Raymond Kennedy.

This week he doggedly refused to say whether the decision to sack Mr Wells was in contravention of the IFA's own legal advice.

It is an issue that this review will ensure will not now go away in the immediate future.

Earlier this month the BBC asked Mr McCausland a series of written questions on the IFA, and he did not respond directly when asked whether or not his department had full confidence in the IFA's board or its president.

Local football stands on the threshold of a potential massive injection of taxpayers money.

At the moment £25m or more is being sought for stadium development, and off the back of the Wells case the IFA will have to satisfy the Government it is capable of managing the funds.

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