10 takeaways as FAI officials face Oireachtas committee

1. FAI officials faced a challenging Oireachtas Committee on Sport session, primarily due to the controversy surrounding the Nations League games against Israel.

2. The committee members raised concerns about safeguarding within the FAI, particularly questioning why none of the officials had spoken to the three goalkeepers before selecting them for the Israel fixtures.

3. Gavin Bazunu, the Bolton goalkeeper, withdrew from the team just before the game against Israel, citing his moral objection to participating in the match.

4. FAI officials acknowledged that no one had spoken to the goalkeepers prior to the selection, which sparked uncomfortable questions about their handling of the situation.

5. Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrimsson admitted that he had only spoken to his outfield players before the Israel games, leaving the goalkeepers out of the communication loop.

6. FAI CEO David Courell mentioned a one-hour meeting in August where Hallgrimsson visited a goalkeeper, but he claimed the Israel games were never discussed during that meeting.

7. Players held a meeting about the Israel game on Friday after their defeat to Kosovo, during which Bazunu agreed to travel to Hungary but later decided to withdraw from the squad.

8. FAI officials denied claims that Bazunu had been excluded from the players' vote, stating that his opposition was counted in the final ballot despite his absence.

9. The FAI defended their protection of the goalkeeper by highlighting his support from a clinical psychologist and rejecting allegations that he was shunned by the squad.

10. The FAI conducted two player votes on the eve of the Israel game, with the committee chair questioning the necessity of the second vote, which officials claimed was to provide players with full information and clarify their stance.