Athlone Town fined by FAI over failing to fulfil fixture

Athlone Town FC has been fined €1,000 and hit with other sanctions by the FAI after failing to fulfil last Friday's league fixture against Waterford United.

The game was called off on Friday after 14 Athlone players were unavailable to travel to Waterford amidst a delay in payment of expenses.

In a statement issued last night (Thursday), the FAI announced that its disciplinary committee had issued a number of sanctions against the club.

Athlone Town was fined €1,000, with an additional €4,000 suspended, which will only be payable if they fail to fulfil another competitive fixture this month.

Waterford have been awarded a 3-0 victory for the match, with Athlone forfeiting the fixture.

The next fixture between the two sides on Friday, August 5, was scheduled to be played in Athlone, but will now be played at Waterford's Regional Sports Centre and Waterford will retain all gate receipts from that fixture.

Earlier this week, the FAI ordered an independent review of Athlone Town in which an independent person will meet with all of the relevant stakeholders of Athlone Town to discuss and support the long-term future of the club, and this is an ongoing process.

Some of the social media reaction to the FAI sanctions suggested it was unfair to fine a club that was not keeping up with its payments to players.

Former Shelbourne player and RTE soccer pundit Alan Cawley tweeted: 'So Athlone to be fined despite being on the brink of folding. Very well thought out response that one.'

Aidan O'Hara of the Irish Independent also tweeted: '€1,000 fine for Athlone. That'll help paying the wages.'