Drogheda United's co-chairperson, Joanna Byrne, has been removed from her role by the club's owners, the Trivela Group. This decision comes after Byrne made comments about the Republic of Ireland's scheduled Nations League fixtures with Israel. Byrne had stated she was 'angry and dismayed' that the Republic of Ireland would fulfil the fixtures in September and October, adding 'Israel should not be in this competition'. The Trivela Group confirmed Byrne's removal in a statement, citing a statement made regarding private discussions with club ownership as the reason. Benjamin Boycott will serve as the sole chairperson for the time being, and the club will look to appoint a local director and co-chair in due course. Byrne had previously said she would not resign as director and co-chair after being instructed to do so by the League of Ireland club's American owners. The situation has been difficult for Byrne, who remains deeply committed to Drogheda United and wants to see the club flourish. The Football Association of Ireland had voted to submit a motion to European football's governing body Uefa to ban Israel from its club and international competitions. The motion, which was overwhelmingly passed, urged Uefa to exclude Israel for violating two independent provisions of the Uefa statutes. The 'violations' cited were the organisation of clubs in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank without the consent of the Palestinian Football Association and a failure to implement and enforce an effective anti-racism policy. Following the Nations League draw, the FAI indicated it would fulfil fixtures against Israel on 27 September and 4 October because of the potential for disqualification. In a letter to Drogheda United fans, Byrne said the past few weeks had been a difficult time for her personally, but she had carried herself with integrity at all times. Byrne added that the approach taken by the Trivela Group was the opposite of hers, and that it was symptomatic of the way they do business. The club's owners have thanked Byrne for her longstanding and ongoing dedication to the club and its success. The situation is ongoing, and it remains to be seen how it will affect Drogheda United's future. The club will continue to look for a new local director and co-chair to replace Byrne. The removal of Byrne has been a significant development in the club's history, and it will be interesting to see how the club moves forward from here. Drogheda United's fans will be watching the situation closely, and they will be hoping that the club can continue to succeed despite the changes in leadership.