Irish FA asserts due process ‘correctly followed’ in case of Linfield fans singing sectarian song

A Linfield FC flag

The Irish FA has said “due process was correctly followed” after controversy over a decision not to initially pursue a case against Linfield fans singing a sectarian song.

A member of the Irish FA’s disciplinary panel reportedly said he was “unaware of the nature” of The Billy Boys song, and “the melody was used innocuously in his old school song and in a local rugby club's song".

According to BBC Sport NI, an IFA appeals committee ruled that the football governing body’s disciplinary section was wrong to reject a NI Football League recommendation to take a case against Linfield over the singing of the controversial song by a small number of fans at a match.

The case involves an Irish Premiership game between Larne and Linfield at Inver Park on September 15.

The NIFL match observer heard "20 to 30" Linfield fans singing the Billy Boys song for a two-minute period.

Three days later, NIFL chief Gerard Lawlor reported the observer’s findings to the IFA’s disciplinary body, highlighting concerns over these Linfield supporters’ chanting.

In its reply on September 29, the IFA disciplinary committee said that there was "insufficient evidence to warrant a notice of complaint under the breach of Article 32.2 to Linfield on this occasion, as the offensive words in the lyrics of the 'Billy Boys' song were not detailed in the match observer's report".

"With this in mind, the disciplinary committee would be grateful if you could gently remind all match observers of the level of detailed evidence required within their reports to allow the disciplinary committee to substantiate notice of complaints," the statement added.

After receiving this response, Mr Lawlor wrote back to the committee expressing his