Northern Ireland lose appeal against cross-border switch
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EmailNorthern Ireland football chiefs have suffered a crushing defeat in their attempts to prevent players switching to play for the Republic of Ireland.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne rejected an appeal by the Irish FA, the governing body for the six counties, against Fifa's decision to let Belfast-born Daniel Kearns play for the Republic.
Kearns, 18, represented Northern Ireland at under-17 level but switched to play for the Republic this year and played in two Under-19 matches.
CAS said: "The CAS panel dismissed the appeal and confirms the decision of the judge of the Fifa players' status committee, which recognised that Daniel Kearns was eligible to play for the national team of the FAI."
Under the Good Friday Agreement, Irish passports can be held by people born on either side of the border.
But the IFA are trying to prevent a talent drain and say that players without family links should not be allowed to play for the Republic.
