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The GAA’s plans to resume Gaelic gaming activity across clubs have been called into question by a survey that reveals that less than 58% of players are willing to return to training and games this year.
The survey, which was conducted by the Club Players Association (CPA) and involved more than 3,000 respondents, found that nearly 22% of soccer players and club pitchers have ruled out playing this season.
With more than a quarter of gamers reporting that they live with a person who is 70 or older, the number of players in doubt about their future is understandable as they would not want to endanger their family.
The CPA survey also reported that less than 61% of the club’s players would attend a club game as spectators in 2020, and only 33.95% of them would do the same for an encounter between counties.
However, it’s the low percentage of players aiming to line up again this year that is the eye-catching figure.
“The club’s players are at the center of the conversation to get back to playing,” said CPA President Micheál Briody, who told the Irish Examiner last week that club players feared being used as “guinea pigs.” . “The survey results indicate that a significant number of club players believe that until the games are safe, they don’t want to play. It presents a challenge for the future of GAA, but we believe that as a community of players and members, we can face and overcome them together. ”
A total of 3,008 respondents completed the survey considering the representative of the sample, with 21% of them uncertain about whether they would intend to train or play this season. Only 64% of them stated that they would train or play if there was a temperature control.
In a statement, Briody praised the GAA’s efforts so far to react to the crisis. “There has been a phenomenal volunteer effort at the club level to assist older and vulnerable people in the fight against Covid-19. GAA as an association has shown real leadership. It is further evidence of the importance of grassroots GAA to the fabric of Irish society and further highlights the need for games to be more community focused in the future.
All sports agencies face the difficult task of determining when their games are sure to resume in light of the closure of the Covid-19 pandemic. The GAA as an amateur body probably has a more difficult task than most because its players work or study, so it is not possible to wrap them up between games. Those players will return to their families, workplaces, schools, or universities, and the task of locating contacts becomes more difficult.
Briody also acknowledged the establishment of a Covid-19 return-to-play committee, which met for the first time yesterday. However, he emphasized that there should be a specific representation of the club player in the body.
“We are pleased that Croke Park has formed a Covid-19 Advisory Group. It is disappointing that there is no direct defender of the club population, but it is very positive to see four doctors in the Group. It should be the advice of medical experts that beats any other interested party in the room.
“Yesterday we sent a copy of the survey results to Ard Stiúrthóir Tom Ryan so that he could pass it on to the Covid-19 Advisory Group. We have also indicated to you that we will make our membership database available to the Advisory Group should you wish to survey or communicate with club players at any time during your deliberations.
“The importance of the role of the GAA in each community in Ireland was highlighted by the scope of voluntary initiatives organized by the clubs to help people in need of help during the pandemic. This leads to further focus on the GAA’s need remember the foundations of the organization as you struggle with restructuring the fixture calendar for 2021. “
The reluctance among club players to play again this year will be a significant obstacle to the GAA’s hopes of resuming action with club activity. Although GAA President John Horan expressed concern about returning to any game while social distancing existed, he reiterated Sunday that the GAA intended to restart with the clubs.
He said, “We feel quite comfortable saying that we are going to go first with the club game for the very good reason that it impacts more people. 98% of our games are club games. If we play games of clubs, that includes everyone because county players would have the opportunity to play with their clubs. I think it would have a major impact on the whole of Irish society. So we can make the decision to resume with the county game. “
CPA survey: key findings
- When asked if they would train or play for their club again in 2020, 57.65% (1,733 respondents) said yes, 21.92% (659) said no, while another 21.22% (638) did not know.
- 60.82% (1,827) of the respondents said they would attend a club game this year.
- 33.95% (1,020) said they would attend games between counties with more than 50% (1,513) stating that they would not attend.
- Asked if they would train or play if each player’s and official’s temperature was checked before each training and game session, 63.77% (1,917) said they would.
- 21.56% (648) said they would not and less than 21% insisted that they would not play if all players and officials had to wear a mask during a game.
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