Tax concerns to be raised at Tipp convention

PROFESSIONALISM in the GAA and the tax implications for players vis-a-vis increased mileage rates and endorsements are raised in a very thought-provoking report to next Sunday’s Tipperary convention by county secretary Michael O’Brien.

The present mileage rates, meals, players’ holidays, income from endorsements, free passes to games, gear etc. will all come under the spotlight and with more transparency in the future, Mr. O’Brien cautions that the taxman will be showing an interest in fringe benefits.

Mr. O’Brien calls for a greater returns from central coffers to county boards to meet the ever-increasing costs of running the organisation.

“With the success at the turnstiles of the qualifier system in both hurling and football, changes will have to be brought about to satisfy demands not only of players but also of county boards.”

The Tipperary secretary calls for a complete review of the suspension rule following a turbulent year both inside and outside his county.

He advocates divorcing club and county suspensions. He also wants match bans to replace time suspensions.

“A month’s suspension in July could result in a player missing several semi-finals and finals, especially if he is a dual player, while a six-month suspension for a serious offence towards the end of the year may result in the offending player missing no game at all.

“Game suspensions or match bans are more realistic than the current time suspensions,” argues Mr. O’Brien.

He also calls for club and county suspensions to be divorced from one another.

A county player is often “a marked man” when playing with his club.

At times he may be the focus of unfavourable attention during a game, while on the other hand a county player can take advantage of his position and believe he will not be sent to the line in advance of a county game.

Mr. O’Brien wants the authorities to take the question of suspensions the whole way by separating league and championship, hurling and football suspensions.

The whole question of suspensions came under the spotlight during the year mainly with the issuing of a red card in a club game to Kerry captain Dara Ó Sé. The issue is at the fore, to a lesser extent and closer to home, because of two county minors, Willie Ryan and John Boland.

Secretary O’Brien expresses his concern with the Croke Park reaction and direction on the matter of John Boland.

His family took legal action following the imposition of a month’s suspension.

Outlining the background to the affair, Mr. O’Brien says the referee of the North Tipperary championship game in which Boland and three others received straight red cards, stated clearly he had mistakenly issued a red card when it should have been yellow for rough play.

“No action was taken against the players as there was no charge against them, and the North Tipperary Board had acted within the rules of the association as they appear in the Official Guide.