Leinster Senior League sanction, but don't expel, Ballybrack over faking player's death

Ballybrack have been sanctioned by the Leinster Senior League, but will not be thrown out of the league, after faking the death of a player in order to have a game postponed.

Last weekend’s LSL Major Sunday 1 fixture between the south Dublin club and Arklow Town was postponed as a mark of respect after the club informed the league of a player’s death.

On Wednesday, it emerged that these reports were false and the player, a Spanish national, was alive and well in Galway.

After meeting with officials of the club – whose senior section is separate from the schoolboy club – the league imposed disciplinary sanctions but will allow them to continue in the league.

“Ballybrack FC will accept all sanctions handed down by the League and have thanked Arklow Town for their support through this process,” a Leinster Senior League statement read.

“The League have ruled that sanctions – which match FAI rules – have been imposed on Ballybrack 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 correspondence between the league and club will remain private, but the League can confirm that Ballybrack FC were not removed from the league altogether.

“The League will not be making any further public comment on this issue.”

Fernando Nuno La-Fuente was reported to have died on the way home from training on Thursday evening, and the league subsequently passed the news onto clubs.



Several clubs posted messages of condolence on social media, while others wore black armbands and held minutes’ silence before weekend fixtures.

The league became suspicious when requests for details on the funeral arrangements were not forthcoming, and the club subsequently admitted to the fabrication.

The player in question appeared on a number of media outlets on Thursday morning to express his surprise at the developments in which he had been unwittingly embroiled.

Leinster Senior League statement:

The executive committee of the Leinster Senior League met with officials from Ballybrack FC on Thursday night to discuss the club’s failure to fulfil a fixture at senior level.

The League would like to state that events of the past week should not be attributed to or connected to Ballybrack FC schoolboy teams, which are run by a separate committee.



In the meeting, 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.

Ballybrack FC officials admit 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 through this process.

The League have ruled that sanctions – which match FAI rules – have been imposed on Ballybrack 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 correspondence between the league and club will remain private, but the League can confirm that Ballybrack FC were not removed from the league altogether.

The League would like to appeal to the media and the general public to respect the privacy of the former club volunteer involved in the incident, who made an error they have privately apologised for.

The League will not be making any further public comment on this issue.