YOU DIDN’T PASS TEST

Wylie critical of GAA & GPA Covid response

MONAGHAN captain Ryan Wylie says the GAA and GPA displayed a lack of leadership and left county boards “in the lurch” over Covid-19 testing.

Wylie, a radiographer in the Mater Hospital in Dublin, is happy for the inter-county season to proceed and feels safe training and playing games.

But he is disappointed both bodies did not act more decisively when the number of positive cases began rising rapidly in September.

“There was probably a lot of confusion as to whether it was going on or not,” Wylie said ahead of Saturday’s Ulster SFC preliminary round clash.

“I thought maybe the GAA or GPA could have shown more lead

IT WASN’T ENOUGH Ryan Wylie (right) would like to have seen a quicker and better response to testing ership. In that sense, I suppose, it was nearly left up to us and we knew this date was coming over the last couple of months. I thought it was a bit late for them to be saying we should be testing players.they wanted to get their act in order and they could have done a lot of this in the meantime.”

The results of a GPA’S survey asking players whether they wanted the season to go ahead were not known until the night before the opening Allianz League games, including Monaghan against Kerry, on October 17.

A total of 24% were not happy to play and a further 24% said they would play on, providing extra Covid-19 protocols were put in place.

By the end of last week the GPA reached an agreement with the

GAA over enhanced screening.

“It could all have been handled better throughout from the higher authorities who could have come out with statements sooner instead of leaving county boards in the lurch,” said Wylie.

“It was obvious the cases were getting higher as the weeks were going on.

“We have a team doctor and are perfectly set up. I am glad we are able to do something because it would have made for a long winter if we had nothing to do in the last couple of weeks.”

Wylie, in his first year as Monaghan captain, does not believe any county would act dishonourably or try to hide a positive Covid-19 test. He added: “If anyone has symptoms or is a close contact you wouldn’t be playing – simple as that.”