Ireland hosted the World Cross Country Championships in Leopardstown, an event postponed from the previous year. The Irish women's team secured bronze medals in the short course race.
The Republic of Ireland's preparations for the 2002 FIFA World Cup were thrown into turmoil by a public dispute between captain Roy Keane and manager Mick McCarthy in Saipan. Keane was sent home from the training camp and the incident sparked a national debate about the state of Irish football and the FAI.
