Quicker than we expected, return of G.A.A. is a boost

IT’S BACK – the G.A.A. is returning to normal activity. The announcement came on Saturday afternoon that the G.A.A. would move forward with easing of restrictions, and full contact training is now set to resume on June 29.

More than three months with no training and matches meant much more than just the loss of physical activity, it also meant the loss of a vital social hub that dominates so much of daily life.

With the return of normal activity, everyone needs to take personal responsibility now to do whatever they can, both to protect people and help others.

In their release on Saturday afternoon, the G.A.A. stated they would ‘open pitches for adult training on Wednesday, June 24’.

They also announced Monday, June 29, as the date to allow contact training and challenge games for all (in the 26 counties).

‘We must await guidance from the Northern Ireland Executive in relation to six counties,’ the statement added.

‘We also await clarification on what will constitute a close contact versus a casual contact.

‘Restriction on participants only attending training sessions to be released from June 29, subject to government specified maximum of 200 people in the ground. Also to allow club fixtures from Friday, July 17.’

The G.A.A. has also announced that there will be no change to the inter-county dates, so it’s September 14 for training, with competitions to start on October 17 as originally planned.

The statement added: ‘All control measures for players, coaches and other team personnel (completion of health questionnaire, eLearning education etc.) is to remain in place until advised otherwise, dressing rooms to remain closed until July 20.

The advisory committee is considering the position in relation to other G.A.A. buildings, such as club bars that are serving food, gyms, handball alleys, etc. Guidance will be provided in this context before June 29.

The G.A.A. is yet to confirm what format the inter-county competitions will take, but it is now known that they will not commence until October 17, with speculation that the National Leagues will be completed leading into the championship campaign.

Even up to last weekend there was a call from the G.P.A. urging Croke Park to scrap provincial championships for this year, with the demand to have an open draw replacing the traditional football format.

As expected with the announcement of the re-opening of the G.A.A., there will be many requests from the various bodies and players over the coming weeks.

In a letter sent out to players over the weekend, following discussions with the G.A.A’s Central Competitions Controls Committee (C.C.C.C.), the players’ body has told the G.A.A. that they want all inter-county training sessions prior to September 14 to be covered by the Association’s injury fund.

The G.P.A. has also suggested, based on ‘broad support’ rather than ‘strong and forthright views’ that govern other requests, that if a straight knockout football championship must be played to fit the time schedule of a same-year completion, it should be based on an open draw, not the existing provincial championship draws that the C.C.C.C. is planning to proceed with.

With a later end to the season, the G.P.A. is also calling for 2021 inter-county activity to be delayed with a properly defined closed season.

These requests and suggestions made to the C.C.C.C. on behalf of players are based on discussions with county representatives and captains, and a survey which 1,353 players responded to from all over the country.

The call for injury cover for training outside the permitted window, set by the G.A.A. in their recent ‘Safe Return to Gaelic Games’ document, will be at odds with the G.A.A’s insistence that no inter-county training can commence prior to September 14.

But there is broad support for players to be allowed to return once club activity is at an end.

With the return of activity in our G.A.A. clubs throughout the county, initially players will find it quite different to what they have been familiar with, but it’s important that they follow the guidelines as set out and stay safe.