GAA and Sports Council defer out-of-competition drug tests

CROKE PARK chiefs have reached an agreement with the Irish Sports Council to postpone out-of-competition drug-testing of inter-county GAA players until next season at the earliest. Both organisations agree that the after-match drug testing programme has bedded down this season after a stormy introduction.

And Sports Council chief executive John Treacy yesterday dismissed scaremongering that drug testers can call to GAA players’ homes and places of work when the out-of-competition testing is phased in next year.

“All out-of-competition testing for the GAA would be at collective training, essentially because it’s more practical,” said Mr Treacy. “Because individual athletes can vary training times, it makes more sense to test at home, but that would not be the case with the GAA,” he said.

The Sports Council will meet with various federations, including the GAA, in the autumn to brief them on moves to standardise global anti-doping regulations. Further discussions on out-of-competition testing in the GAA will take place at that stage, said GAA president, Sean Kelly.

However, there is considerable GAA opposition to out-of-competition testing, even if it is conducted at collective training. The GPA is also likely to play a significant role in the debate, with one senior GAA source reckoning that the issue will develop into a legal minefield for the association.

However, Mr Treacy doesn’t accept the GAA viewpoint that it should operate under different guidelines because their top players are still amateur. “Over 90% of the athletes we test are amateurs. You could very quickly name the number of athletes we test who are truly professional,” he said.

Because the ISC is mandated under Government legislation with the function of dope testing, the GAA would have no right to sanction its own players. “We have agreed not to pursue testing outside matches this year,” Mr Kelly confirmed yesterday.

“At this stage, every county has had experience of drug testing after matches, and have had a chance to familiarise themselves with the procedures. There has not been so much of a furore this season. Most counties now agree that it is a fact of life and not as much of a threat as they may have suspected,” he said.

Testers meet with team management before championship matches and choose random squad numbers for after-match testing. County representatives are informed before the end of the match who is to be tested - three numbers are selected, in case one of the players is hospitalised and unable to provide a sample.

Mr Treacy refused to reveal the number of GAA tests in competition this season because it would only advertise the scale of the programme for the remainder of the championship.

“It was important this season that the testing programme had an opportunity to bed down, but GAA players still need to be careful. The guidelines are clearly laid out on the MIMS booklet, and any player attending a doctor should be briefed on what is on the banned list of substances,” the ISC chief explained.