Wexford GAA to probe new racism claims
Lee Chin was playing for his Wexford town football club, Sarsfields, in the Co SFC when he was subjected to the taunts which led to the suspension of two Duffry Rovers players by Wexford GAA for two months each. But another racist scandal has rocked Wexford GAA after it emerged the CCCC is about to carry out a further investigation into alleged abuse of St Joseph’s junior footballer, Eddie Lawlor during a recent club game.
The club and player are awaiting an investigation into alleged racist abuse of the player by an umpire. While the St Joseph’s club have confirmed they have written to Wexford GAA Board seeking an investigation they are unwilling to comment further at this stage. Wexford GAA PRO Rory Murphy said the board received a letter which will be fully investigated.
“This investigation will be somewhat different to the Lee Chin affair for it was not included in the referee’s report. However, a letter has been received from the club which will be fully investigate,” he said.
County chairman Diarmuid Devereux, in the wake of this second complaint, has reiterated his stance stating: “Racism will not be acceptable in Wexford GAA. This will be fully investigated and whatever action necessary will be taken.”
Lawlor played with the Wexford junior football team in their Leinster championship defeat by Cavan earlier this month.
Details of the racist abuse of Lee Chin came to light through the match report of referee Brendan Martin. Now Chin has revealed he was involved in a tackle with one of the Duffry Rovers players when the rival player began to mutter racist abuse.
“I won’t say what this other player was saying to me, I don’t want to, but he was really trying to get inside my head,” said Chin. “I was shouting at the referee asking him if anything could be done, and we were both booked with yellow cards. I then pursued the referee and told him something had to be done now, so that’s how this whole situation came to light.
“I was always of the opinion that the person who made the comments would be the person booked, not both of us. It this was soccer, this would be a very different situation It would be treated as a much more serious situation and it would be better that way.”
Chin fears for a new generation of mixed-ethnicity players who are about to rise through the tanks of the GAA but are facing the same obstacles. “I’ve been putting up with this kind of abuse for my entire life,” he said. “Now at this stage, it feels like it is getting a bit more personal. It’s becoming more of an issue for me, and it’s not just me having to put up with this. There are younger people of mixed races coming up against this too. Some of them may just listen to some of the things being said to them and think, ‘Is it worth this at all? I’m not going to bother’.
‘Someone needs to put a stop to this. Young players need to know they can report what is being said and that there will be consequences.”
