To: UEFA, Sport Ireland, FAI
Demand UEFA investigate racist abuse against Adam Idah
The racist abuse aimed at Irish international, Adam Idah during the Nations League game versus Israel was abhorrent and has no place in the game.
Not investigating this message sends a horrendous message to the world that racism in football will go unchecked. Athletes must feel that the pitch is a safe place, free from racial abuse where they are protected from disgusting verbal attacks.
Here is a copy of an email you can forward to UEFA Disiplinary Administration to encourage them to reconsider their decision not to investigate the matter:
Send to: [email protected]
Dear UEFA Disciplinary Administration,
I am submitting this as a formal complaint concerning the alleged racist abuse directed at Republic of Ireland player Adam Idah during the UEFA Nations League match between Israel and the Republic of Ireland in Debrecen on 27 September 2026.
I understand that UEFA has indicated that it will not investigate because the incident was not explicitly identified as racial by match officials at the time and was not heard by them.
That position requires urgent reconsideration.
The allegation is that racist chanting was directed at Adam Idah by supporters during the match. It has been publicly reported that Ireland midfielder Jayson Molumby heard the chanting and attempted to alert referee Harm Osmers and fourth official Florian Exner.
If a player reports potentially discriminatory conduct during a UEFA match, the fact that officials subsequently say they did not hear the conduct cannot reasonably be treated as establishing that the incident did not occur. It is precisely why UEFA has disciplinary and investigative mechanisms capable of examining evidence beyond the immediate match-day report.
UEFA's 2026 Disciplinary Regulations expressly prohibit conduct that insults human dignity on grounds including race, skin colour and ethnic origin, and provide for disciplinary measures where supporters engage in such conduct.
UEFA's own disciplinary procedures further state that proceedings may be opened following a complaint, subject to approval by an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector. UEFA's Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have the power to initiate disciplinary investigations.
I therefore formally request that UEFA:
1. Refer this complaint to an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector for consideration and investigation.
2. Immediately preserve and examine the complete international broadcast recording, including all available audio feeds and camera angles, to determine whether the alleged chanting is audible or otherwise identifiable.
3. Obtain the referee, fourth official, UEFA match delegate, security and stewarding reports.
4. Preserve and examine relevant stadium CCTV and any available supporter-area recordings.
5. Obtain statements from Adam Idah, Jayson Molumby, other Ireland players and staff, and the relevant match officials.
6. Establish precisely what was communicated to the referee and fourth official, what they understood was being reported, and whether the matter was communicated to the UEFA match delegate.
7. Determine whether the alleged conduct constitutes a breach of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations.
8. Separately investigate whether UEFA's procedures for identifying, reporting and responding to serious racist conduct were properly followed.
The distinction between "officials did not hear it" and "the incident did not happen" is fundamental. The former is an evidential issue requiring investigation; it is not, by itself, a finding on the underlying allegation.
Nor should a failure to correctly identify or record an alleged racist incident during the match prevent UEFA from investigating credible subsequent evidence. Otherwise, the effectiveness of UEFA's anti-discrimination framework could depend entirely upon whether an official happened to hear and correctly classify an incident in real time.
This complaint does not ask UEFA to prejudge the facts or impose a predetermined sanction. It asks UEFA to exercise its disciplinary and investigative functions, preserve the available evidence, establish the facts and determine whether the UEFA regulations were breached.
Given the potentially time-sensitive nature of CCTV, broadcast recordings and match-day reports, please treat this as an urgent request for preservation of evidence.
Please confirm in writing that this complaint has been formally logged, that it has been referred to the appropriate disciplinary authority, and how supporting audiovisual evidence should be submitted.
Yours faithfully,
[NAME]
[COUNTRY / ORGANISATION, IF APPLICABLE]
[CONTACT DETAILS]
Not investigating this message sends a horrendous message to the world that racism in football will go unchecked. Athletes must feel that the pitch is a safe place, free from racial abuse where they are protected from disgusting verbal attacks.
Here is a copy of an email you can forward to UEFA Disiplinary Administration to encourage them to reconsider their decision not to investigate the matter:
Send to: [email protected]
Dear UEFA Disciplinary Administration,
I am submitting this as a formal complaint concerning the alleged racist abuse directed at Republic of Ireland player Adam Idah during the UEFA Nations League match between Israel and the Republic of Ireland in Debrecen on 27 September 2026.
I understand that UEFA has indicated that it will not investigate because the incident was not explicitly identified as racial by match officials at the time and was not heard by them.
That position requires urgent reconsideration.
The allegation is that racist chanting was directed at Adam Idah by supporters during the match. It has been publicly reported that Ireland midfielder Jayson Molumby heard the chanting and attempted to alert referee Harm Osmers and fourth official Florian Exner.
If a player reports potentially discriminatory conduct during a UEFA match, the fact that officials subsequently say they did not hear the conduct cannot reasonably be treated as establishing that the incident did not occur. It is precisely why UEFA has disciplinary and investigative mechanisms capable of examining evidence beyond the immediate match-day report.
UEFA's 2026 Disciplinary Regulations expressly prohibit conduct that insults human dignity on grounds including race, skin colour and ethnic origin, and provide for disciplinary measures where supporters engage in such conduct.
UEFA's own disciplinary procedures further state that proceedings may be opened following a complaint, subject to approval by an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector. UEFA's Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have the power to initiate disciplinary investigations.
I therefore formally request that UEFA:
1. Refer this complaint to an Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector for consideration and investigation.
2. Immediately preserve and examine the complete international broadcast recording, including all available audio feeds and camera angles, to determine whether the alleged chanting is audible or otherwise identifiable.
3. Obtain the referee, fourth official, UEFA match delegate, security and stewarding reports.
4. Preserve and examine relevant stadium CCTV and any available supporter-area recordings.
5. Obtain statements from Adam Idah, Jayson Molumby, other Ireland players and staff, and the relevant match officials.
6. Establish precisely what was communicated to the referee and fourth official, what they understood was being reported, and whether the matter was communicated to the UEFA match delegate.
7. Determine whether the alleged conduct constitutes a breach of Article 14 of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations.
8. Separately investigate whether UEFA's procedures for identifying, reporting and responding to serious racist conduct were properly followed.
The distinction between "officials did not hear it" and "the incident did not happen" is fundamental. The former is an evidential issue requiring investigation; it is not, by itself, a finding on the underlying allegation.
Nor should a failure to correctly identify or record an alleged racist incident during the match prevent UEFA from investigating credible subsequent evidence. Otherwise, the effectiveness of UEFA's anti-discrimination framework could depend entirely upon whether an official happened to hear and correctly classify an incident in real time.
This complaint does not ask UEFA to prejudge the facts or impose a predetermined sanction. It asks UEFA to exercise its disciplinary and investigative functions, preserve the available evidence, establish the facts and determine whether the UEFA regulations were breached.
Given the potentially time-sensitive nature of CCTV, broadcast recordings and match-day reports, please treat this as an urgent request for preservation of evidence.
Please confirm in writing that this complaint has been formally logged, that it has been referred to the appropriate disciplinary authority, and how supporting audiovisual evidence should be submitted.
Yours faithfully,
[NAME]
[COUNTRY / ORGANISATION, IF APPLICABLE]
[CONTACT DETAILS]
Why is this important?
Join us in this vital call to action. Sign this petition to demand justice for Adam Idah and to champion fairness and respect within football. Let us show that racism has no place in our game, and take a collective stand for the values that bind us together.