Bank of Ireland are reportedly reviewing their shirt sponsorship deal with Ulster Rugby in the wake of the Belfast rape trial.
Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were last month found not guilty of an alleged rape following a nine week trial. The content of WhatsApp messages sent in a group chat involving the pair have drawn intense criticism, and campaigns to re-instate and ban the pair from returning to play for the province have both surfaced online.
In a piece published by The Times Ireland Edition, senior Ireland reporter Ellen Coyne wrote that "a spokeswoman from Bank of Ireland confirmed to the Times yesterday that it had spoken to the club.
"It is of paramount importance to Bank of Ireland that our sponsorship activity aligns with and supports our core values and reflects positively on Bank of Ireland through association
"We understand that an internal review is underway at Ulster Rugby. We expect this review to be robust, to fully address the issues raised, and that decisions will be taken - and policies and protocols to be put in place - that fully address the issues that have arisen".
The bank, which has sponsored the club for 20 years, will reportedly see their current sponsorship deal with Ulster Rugby come to an end in 2019.
Frank Greaney, Newstalk's court correspondent, joined Ger and Eoin live in studio on this morning's OTB:AM following the reporting restrictions placed on the trial having been lifted. You can find the interview in its entirety on our Youtube page, though we would warn that the report will contain graphic details which some viewers may find distressing.
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