December 23 – Sport Northern Ireland has launched an official review into how the Irish Football Association (IFA) acted in the Howard Wells (pictured) affair.
The findings of the review by the country’s National Lottery distributor are expected to be studied closely by Northern Ireland Government officials before £25 million can be invested in the game, which would help build a new stadium.
At a meeting of the IFA Council earlier this week, President Raymond Kennedy was quizzed over a recent payout to former chief executive Wells who took an unfair dismissal case after being sacked in October 2008.
The out-of-court settlement is believed to have cost the IFA around £400,000.
This review is likely to heap further pressure on Kennedy and IFA vice-president David Martin.
Kennedy has refused to say whether the decision to sack Wells was in contravention of the IFA’s own legal advice.
Sport NI and the IFA have already held preliminary talks.
The IFA Council is due to meet again in the first week of February.
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