Gibson Can Stay With Ireland

Last updated : 24 October 2007 By Editor

BBC:

Fifa has told the the Republic of Ireland they can keep the services of Northern Ireland-born Darron Gibson.

However, the Republic have lost the battle with Northern Ireland over the eligibility of players in the future.

Fifa has ruled that the FAI may no longer quote the Good Friday Agreement as a reason for drafting up players born on the island of Ireland.

The FAI can now only use players born in the Republic, or whose parents or grandparents are born in the Republic.

The world governing body will not impose any sanction over Gibson's involvement for the Republic of Ireland in the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

The 19-year-old Gibson is currently on loan from Manchester United at Wolves but is suffering from a broken toe.

The Derry teenager played for NI at underage level before switching to the Republic and he earned a full cap in last month's Euro 2008 qualifer in Slovakia.

Before Tuesday's ruling the IFA had said that Fifa rules made clear that Gibson should not be allowed to play for the Republic because neither the player, nor his parents or his grandparents were born south of the border.