Kilkenny star Reid joins calls for GAA to reconsider club lockdown
“It would be great to bring plans forward”
KILKENNY’S TJ Reid is the latest high-profile figure to ask the GAA to reconsider its policy on locking club gates as it emerged that walking tracks around clubs may be open from June 8, when the country starts phase two of the Government roadmap out of lockdown.
Reid and Armagh legend Steven McDonnell joined the chorus of voices imploring the association to allow clubs open their facilities for training in limited numbers. However, even if the walkways are opened in June, it’s likely that pitches will remain closed.
‘Please reopen our GAA pitches,’ Reid pleaded on Twitter last night.
‘Public parks are open and were packed over the weekend, yet rural clubs within 5km of people’s homes can’t be accessed for use of safe walkways and to enjoy the grassroots of the community.’
The Kilkenny star’s call was echoed by McDonnell, an All-Ireland winner with the Orchard County in 2002.
‘It would be great if the GAA brought forward plans to open up our grounds again,’ said the former Footballer of the Year.
‘Almost everyone is adhering to social distancing guidelines and I can’t see that this will be any different if they were open.
‘Give our people a place of solace to go for a walk or some practice.’
The association closed all club facilities until July 20, when the GAA is permitted to return under the Government’s plans, although GAA president John Horan told
The Sunday Game earlier this month that it would be unlikely Gaelic games could return while social distancing restrictions were still in place. ‘If social distancing is a priority to deal with this pandemic, I don’t know how we can play a contact sport, and that is what Gaelic games is, a contact sport’ Horan said.
It’s believed that the walking tracks, or walkways, will be available to the public at certain times during the day, but the doors to the clubhouse will remain closed. Horan poured cold water on the idea of training in limited numbers in the same interview.
‘There was a concept that people could gather together in groups of four. We felt that just couldn’t be marshalled within clubs and that is why we continue to keep our premises closed.
‘Our clubs are led by a lot of good quality volunteer people and to put the onus on the volunteers within our organisation to make the decision to police and organise training within our facilities, we just felt that would be too much.’
There is believed to some ‘nervousness’ among certain club officials as to how any resumption in training would be monitored. And another factor complicating any return is that the association suspended its player injury insurance scheme in March, leaving clubs with no protection should an injury occur.
It is expected that when GAA grounds are allowed to host training again, there will be strict protocols enforced, including the possible appointment of a Covid-19 officer for each club.