Ó hAilpín: GAA needs to review racism penalties

Hurling legend Seán Óg Ó hAilpín has said that the findings of a report on racism and discrimination in Cork are “disappointing”.

The All-Ireland winning hurler retired from inter-county action this year, and credits his achievements with Cork GAA for putting an end to isolated incidents of racial taunting he experienced when playing at underage level.

He also said the GAA needed to review the penalties it hands down for incidents involving racist and sectarian abuse.

Ó hAilpín will today help launch a report by immigrant support group Nasc, and he said he was surprised at some of the findings.

“Overall, I would be hugely disappointed if Cork would be an area where it does not have an ‘open arms’ policy,” he said. “It’s very sad to hear.”

Ó hAilpín said when he first came to live in Ireland and began to play sport, he would have heard sporadic references “to the colour of your skin, as in black”, but that overwhelmingly people were supportive of him and his efforts on the field.

“To be honest, a lot of these incidents were very remote,” he said, adding that his brothers would also have experienced some taunts, but to a lesser extent.

The issue has reared its head within the GAA this year. First there were alleged sectarian references made to Armagh players during a match with Laois, while Wexford dual player Lee Chin was racially abused, with two players from Duffry Rovers receiving eight-week bans as a result of the incident.

“My take is that there is an awareness in the association that this stuff can happen, but whether the punishment fits the crime... like in the Lee Chin case, it’s not severe at all,” said Ó hAilpín.

He said other codes, such as Australian Rules Football, had much harsher penalties and he said he hoped the GAA would go down that route. As for the severity of the sanctions, however, Ó hAilpín said: “Do you ban a fella for six months, or eight months, or a year?”

On the overall issue of racism and discrimination, Ó hAilpín said education was vital. “I wouldn’t like to come across like it’s a rampant problem up and down the country or even just in Cork,” he said.

He said sport had an important role to play in integration of new migrants, but despite his role in launching the report and voicing his views, Ó hAilpín ruled out any role in politics.

“Do I have an interest in it? A small bit,” he said. “Do I have enough of an interest to get involved in it? No, I don’t.”

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