Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Liam says GAA must see reality
THE GAA must bring clarity over the inter-county Championships, former president Liam O’neill insists.
Tuesday’s Irish Government declaration that crowds at outdoor gatherings would continue to be limited to 200 for at least another three weeks provided a “wake-up call” according to the Laois man, who held the GAA’S highest office from 2012-15.
O’neill was a voice of caution after the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, advocating a safety-first approach in the early stages and suggesting that games should be shelved entirely for the year if they posed health risks.
He welcomes the fact that club fixtures have resumed with reasonable success but added: “It’s time for open discussions and really honest decisions. It appears now we’re not going to have crowds at inter-county games.
“So let’s examine the implications of that and ask do we want that? Is it vital to our mental health to have it? Are we going to ask all these fellas to train for four weeks and get knocked out?
“And we’re going to train for four weeks for that? What proportion of the €30million that it cost last year (to train county teams) is going to be spent in that period of four to six weeks?
“Sport and health are inextricably linked. Would it not be sort of an irony if sport jeopardised health?
“We need to ask the right questions of the National Public Health Emergency Team – who seem to be making the decisions – and we need to get the answers and then discuss it among ourselves and decide now.”