Ballybrack FC will not lose their place in the Leinster Senior League despite falsifying the death of a player to get out of a match.
The club had claimed they couldn’t fulfil a fixture against Arklow Town due to the death of Spanish player Fernando Nuno LaFuente.
The league even went as far as placing a death notice in an Irish newspaper when they initially heard the news and a minute’s silence was held before all Leinster Senior League fixtures last weekend.
But LaFuente was found alive and well in Galway, leaving officials at the South Dublin club red-faced.
Statement from employers of Fernando LaFuente at the centre of the #ballybrack story and he’s now speaking on @TodaySOR pic.twitter.com/IanSt4zoA8
— Samantha Libreri (@SamanthaLibreri) November 28, 2018
Speaking to RTE this week, LaFuente said: "I was aware there was going to be some story on me but I thought it was going to be me breaking a leg or something like that.
"I was at home yesterday after my work finished. I was playing some video games. They told me: 'You're a celebrity.'
"My work started sending me all these news articles - that's how I found out I was dead."
LaFuente has since said that the club have apologised to him.
The club now face heavy sanctions from the FAI over the matter.
In a statement, the league said: “Ballybrack FC were open and transparent regarding an error made by a volunteer who no longer works with the club, after he was removed from the senior team committee last Tuesday.
Condolences to everyone involved at Ballybrack FC on the tragic passing of their player making his way home from training on Thursday night. All at Rush Athletic express our deepest sympathies.
— Rush Athletic Senior (@RushAthleticFc) November 24, 2018
"Ballybrack FC officials admitted to not grasping the full impact of the incident, where they failed to fulfil a fixture against Arklow Town FC, and they apologised for their part in that.
"Ballybrack FC will accept all sanctions handed down by the League and have thanked Arklow Town for their support throughout this process.
"The League have ruled that sanctions - which match FAI Rules - have been imposed on Ballybrack FC for failing to fulfil the fixture. The club has been sanctioned for bringing the game into disrepute, and the individual involved is also sanctioned for bringing the game into disrepute.
"All correspondences between the League and the club will remain private, but the League can confirm that Ballybrack FC were not removed from the league altogether.”
Really feel we've missed an opportunity this week with Ballybrack FC.
The players should have been invited onto the #LateLateToyShow and then bam, reveal an xmas miracle by bringing not dead Fernando out!— Cormac Moore (@TheCormacMoore) November 28, 2018
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