Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
HALF GAA ACES READY TO PLAY CLUB GAMES
JUST over half of GAA club players would be willing to resume action without a coronavirus vaccine, a Club Players’ Association survey has revealed.
GAA president John Horan reiterated on Sunday night that when Gaelic games resume, it will happen at club level before county but stressed how he cannot see any matches being fixed while the need for social distancing remains.
The CPA survey attracted responses from 3,008 of its members and just 57% said they would be prepared to return to action this year before a vaccine is in place,
with 22 per cent not in favour while 21 per cent don’t know.
There was a small increase in the number of those who would resume training and playing matches if there were temperature-checking measures in place, with 64 per cent saying they would be comfortable with such an arrangement.
Over a quarter of respondents, 27 per cent, said they live with an over-70 or a vulnerable individual.
In terms of attending matches, 61 per cent said they would go to club games, while only 34 per cent said they would take in inter-county fixtures if they resumed.
“Club players are at the centre of the return to play conversation,” said CPA chairman Micheal Briody.
“The survey results indicate that a significant number of club players believe that until games are safe, they do not want to play.
“It presents a challenge for the future of the GAA but one we feel that as a community of players and members we can face and surmount together.”
While commending the “real leadership” that the GAA has shown in the current crisis and welcoming the formation of a COVID-19 Advisory Group, Briody noted that
“it is disappointing that there is no direct advocate for the club playing population but it is very positive to see four doctors on the group”.
He added: “It should be the advice of the medical experts that trump any other stakeholder in the room.
“We have sent a copy of the survey results yesterday to Ard Stiurthoir Tom Ryan so he could pass it onto the Covid -19 Advisory Group.
“We have also indicated to him that we will make available our database of members to the advisory group should they wish to survey or communicate with club players on any point in their deliberations.”