Top medic questions player blood tests

THE chairman of the GAA’s Medical, Scientific and Welfare Committee has cast doubts as to whether inter-county footballers and hurlers will be subjected to blood testing.

The anti-doping procedure was undertaken for the first time in Ireland at an athletics meet in December 2009.

Irish Sports Council (ISC) officials are keen to expand its use across the sporting codes but have no immediate plans to introduce it to the GAA. The organisation’s players are subjected to urine-based anti-doping procedures since the GAA gave its consent — 10 years ago next month — as a prerequisite for their continued receipt of government funds.