Row over FAW's assembly refusal

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The Football Association of Wales (FAW) has turned down an invitation to give evidence to an assembly committee.

The FAW council was due to appear before the sport committee this week for their Welsh football review report.

But FAW secretary general David Collins wrote to AMs saying they would not be attending the meeting.

Mr Collins wants to meet the committee after the council has gathered the rest of its evidence. Opposition AMs have criticised the FAW's decision.

The FAW council wrote to the assembly committee following a meeting in Cardiff on Tuesday.

It wouldn't be of any benefit to football if the committee or the FAW were too proud to meet Owen John Thomas AM

Mr Collins said the council had made the decision because much of the evidence already submitted to the committee had been "factually incorrect or totally misleading".

"The council has decided to invite the culture, Welsh language and sport committee to meet with us following its evaluation of evidence and prior to its production of its report.

"We hope then that the meeting with the FAW... gives us both the opportunity to explore how the Welsh assembly can assist the development of football in Wales," he said.

"The difficulty with [a committee hearing] is you have a very short time and they just fire questions at you, so it doesn't in fact elicit the tremendous amount of work that the FAW has been achieving over the last number of years."

David Collins said he wanted to meet the committee at a later date

Mr Collins added he did not want to "enter into conflict" with the assembly, but work with it.

Opposition AMs have criticised the FAW's decision not to attend the committee next week.

Conservative sport spokeswoman Laura Anne Jones said she was "disappointed" at the news.

"There are certainly many questions that need to be asked to the FAW and it is a real shame that they haven't got the balls to come in and defend themselves and maybe tell us of any good work that is going on."

Plaid culture spokesman Owen John Thomas AM said: "What's important to me is not whether or not they're [the FAW] willing to come to the committee but whether they will meet us soon - for the sake of Welsh football.

"It wouldn't be of any benefit to football if the committee or the FAW were too proud to meet."