The world’s oldest and largest competitive Irish dance organization has launched an investigation after being hit with allegations of competition manipulation, warning that “unethical behavior cannot and will not be tolerated”.
In a statement published on its website on Thursday, the Irish Dancing Commission said its ethics committee had received “allegations with evidence of several serious breaches of our code of conduct” in July this year.
The commission did not specify what type of violations were alleged, although local media reported that they were linked to allegations of competition manipulation. The Irish Independent broke the news of the allegations in an exclusive inquiry published on Wednesday.
“Because of the potential scale of such allegations — and to ensure fairness, transparency and thoroughness — the services of an independent former judge of the Court of Appeal have been retained to oversee and oversee the immediate investigation of these matters,” the statement continued.
The Irish Dancing Commission, a governing body known in Irish as An Coimisiún Le Rincí Gaelacha (CLRG), is responsible for organizing the World Irish Dancing Championships. Held annually in venues across Ireland, the UK and North America, the competition attracts participants from all over the world and is considered the most prestigious Irish dance competition in the world.
“The process will no doubt be difficult and arduous, but this grossly unethical behavior must be eliminated from our competitions, dance schools and government organizations,” the CLRG said in its statement.
The CLRG made it clear in the statement that any registered member who has engaged in practices that violate the code of conduct will be subject to “a due and full hearing” under the Commission’s disciplinary procedures.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Ireland’s culture minister, Catherine Martin, said she welcomed the fact that there is “a retired judge investigating these matters”, calling it a “really important” factor.
Martin said she will write to the commission “to seek assurances that they are taking all necessary steps to restore the confidence of families around the world that their children and their young people are being treated fairly”.