The IFA has backed down from an attempt to re-write its anti-discrimination code, in a move which Jamie Bryson is chalking up as a victory.

The loyalist activist had brought an appeal against the new definition of “discrimination” which it contained, arguing it was so broad as to be “absolutely bonkers”.

Now he has welcomed its move to “abandon this patently absurd new provision”.

As previously reported in the News Letter, the IFA – the governing body for football in Northern Ireland – had redrafted its rulebook this year.

placeholder image — The IFA crest against the backdrop of Windsor Park (from the IFA website)

Under the 2023 rules, someone would be banned for at least 10 games if they "offend the dignity of a person or group of persons through contemptuous, discriminatory or denigratory words or actions concerning race, colour, language, religion, sectarianism, or origin".

Under the 2024 rules, this list was expanded to include "social origin, ethnicity, political or any other opinion, wealth, birth, or any other status or any other reason" (News Letter’s emphases).

There were also fines in place for clubs, and – in extreme cases – the possibility of being relegated.

The IFA had argued that the new amended wording had been “taken directly from the latest FIFA Disciplinary Code, the principles of which apply to all national associations”.

Mr Bryson argued it was so all-encompassing that even humourous jibes at opposition supporters would count as “discrimination”.

Now the IFA has written to Northern Ireland’s clubs to tell them it is scrapping the amended wording after all, and sticking with the wording in the the 2023 code.

“It is welcome the IFA have abandoned this patently absurd new provision,” he said.

"There was never any basis for the wording the IFA sought to insert which was hyper-woke madness drafted in the most ridiculous of terms.

“The IFA appeared to copy a catch all FIFA provision without appreciating that only applies to FIFA-run competitions, and is so broad because it encapsulates every country in the world.

"It is so broad because every country will have different discrimination and free speech laws, and so it’s a matter for associations to have their own provisions consistent with domestic law.

"The IFA have completely misunderstood this, and adopted provisions which wouldn’t be out of place in North Korea.”

The IFA has told the News Letter: “We are committed to tackling discrimination in football. Ensuring that our anti-discrimination provisions are as robust as possible is a key part of that.

“Therefore, while the Irish FA Football Committee does not accept the appeal as being meritorious or legitimate (due to procedural and jurisdictional considerations alone), it does not intend to contest it to ensure necessary clarity is given with the wider football season now underway.”

“The original wording of previous Article 27 (Discrimination) – now Article 23 - will stay in place for the remainder of the 2024/2025 season allowing time for review.”

It added that “the FIFA Disciplinary Code is not confined to FIFA-run competitions; it also functions as the overarching disciplinary framework for its member associations at domestic level”.