27 Feb 2008Is Worthy on his way to the Euros?

Northern Ireland could still be in a chance with playing at the European Championships to be held in Switzerland and Austria later this year, it has emerged.

Last Week Fifa president Sepp Blatter warned that Spain could be thrown out of the tournament if their government continued in its attempt to intervene in the election process of the Spanish FA.

A new ministerial order forces the country's non-Olympic sporting federations to hold elections before the Beijing Games - but Blatter has said that if this rule is enforced in the case of football, Spanish clubs and the national side will face expulsion from tournaments.

These commented have now been backed up by Uefa spokesman William Gaillard, suggesting the scenario is a real possibility - and paving the way for Northern Ireland to appear at a major tournament for the first time since 1986.

"Uefa and Fifa deal with these sort of issues very seriously. These are no empty threats - we will back them up," Mr Gaillard said.

"It is similar to 1992 when Yugoslavia was suspended and Denmark, who finished second in the group, came in," added Gaillard.

However, Irish FA president Raymond Kennedy cast some doubt on the eventuality by admitting that neither Uefa nor Fifa had been in contact with the Irish FA regarding the development.

© Copyright