UEFA defends draw policy after Ireland request, Israel dismisses FAI comments

Sept 19 - UEFA said on Saturday that decisions on whether national teams should be kept apart in competition draws were made on a case-by-case basis and guided primarily by security considerations, after Ireland's soccer association said its request to avoid future pairings with Israel had been rejected.

Football Association of Ireland chief executive David Courell said on Friday the body had asked UEFA if the Republic of Ireland and Israel could be separated in future draws after the teams were paired in February's Nations League draw.

The two sides are due to meet on September 27 and October 4 in the competition.

UEFA, European soccer's governing body, said requests to stop teams being drawn against each other were considered individually.

"Decisions to avoid certain teams being drawn against each other are made taking into consideration several factors, especially conditions between the two countries leading to structural risks for security," UEFA said a statement.

"UEFA handles every situation very carefully on its own merits and monitors all facts and developments."

Courell told reporters the FAI had been informed that such an arrangement would not be possible because Ireland and Israel had "never been in direct conflict".

The Israel Football Association also responded to Courell's remarks, questioning whether a formal request had been made to UEFA.

"The question should be directed at UEFA: was there an official inquiry or request regarding this matter, or is this merely another inconsequential statement?" IFA head of communications Shlomi Barzel told Reuters.

"Since we long ago stopped getting worked up over statements detached from reality, we are focusing on high-quality professional preparations to achieve our goals on the pitch."

The fixtures have been controversial in Ireland amid the conflict in the Middle East.

Last November, members of the FAI voted overwhelmingly for its board to request that UEFA should suspend the IFA from European competitions, while in May leading Irish footballers and celebrities joined in a campaign for a boycott of Ireland's home Nations League fixture.

Ireland's designated home match on October 4 is due to be played behind closed doors in Backa Topola, Serbia, instead of Dublin, while Irish fans will not receive tickets for Israel's designated home fixture in Debrecen, Hungary, the previous weekend. REUTERS