Jonathan Hill has insisted that processes are in place for international footballers to “express concerns” if they have them - in the wake of a report into allegations of misconduct by staff and coaches in the NWSL.
Ireland women’s boss Vera Pauw was the subject of allegations in the 128-page NWSL/NWSLPA joint report.
Her former club Houston Dash apologised to players for the alleged behaviour by former coaches, including Pauw, who provided the investigation with a written denial ‘of what she suspected were the allegations against her’.
READ MORE: FAI pledges support for Vera Pauw in wake of report into alleged misconduct
FAI chief executive Hill said: “We do spend a considerable time talking to our international teams.
“This is an issue we'd be happy to talk about to the Women's international team in particular.
“We’ve had a number of occasions recently where we've had honest conversations.
“We spent some time tonight at board level talking through the processes we already have in place, where anybody in any international team, at any level, any age, is allowed to express concerns if they have concerns and we have a process to do that.
“And I am sure we will have that conversation with Vera.”
Hill added that he spoke to Pauw yesterday, while she was travelling to Dublin, and he was going to speak with her again today.
“It's an important issue and if the women's international team currently want to talk too, we will allow that debate to happen,” he added.
FAI chairman Roy Barrett, meanwhile, defended Pauw, saying: “Vera did provide a written statement, allegations were made, she refuted those allegations. “The investigators haven’t opined one way or the other.
“The way that they dealt with some of the other horrific allegations was that they did have a view, and had a view of the credibility of the people they interviewed or not.
“There’s an unfairness about it. Allegations are made and it’s almost guilty until proven innocent. It’s an unfair position to put somebody in.
“If we judge Vera since she came into the FAI she has been a fantastic ambassador and there has been no sense of any of these behaviours and it’s clear she wouldn’t tolerate them.
“Vera denies it and there is no reason to disbelieve her.”
Meanwhile, last night’s resumed AGM, which was held virtually, descended into chaos when an attempt to ratify board members failed.
Frustration had been expressed at the pace with which the FAI was moving towards a gender quota of 40 percent female representation among the 12-strong board of directors.
Up to last night, Liz Joyce and Catherine Guy were the two females on the board (just over 16 percent), while Niamh O’Mahony was seeking ratification at the online meeting.
However, the vote descended into farce when the email system appeared to get the better of a significant number of delegates.
Eventually, Jim Moran from the electoral committee said they were unable to validate the voting, due to technical problems.
The vote, he added, would be deferred to a future date to be determined by the FAI Board.
The FAI has a deadline of next December to meet the 40 percent quota or else face a 50 percent cut in Government funding.
The sense of urgency was felt in the chat function of the Teams meeting, as delegates frantically messaged that they had received no email.
St Patrick’s Athletic owner Garrett Kelleher eventually ran out of patience and wrote: “Roy (Barrett) / Gerry (McAnaney) …. please step in here - this is a nonsense.”
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