Spitting a reflection of ‘problem in society’

GAA president Liam O’Neill has said he feels problems with spitting in the association stem from a wider issue in society.

In recent days, allegations have emerged that Kerry’s Paul Galvin was spat at while playing for Finuge in the All-Ireland club JFC final against Cookstown Fr Rocks of Tyrone, while Leitrim captain Emlyn Mulligan said blood was spat at him in last Sunday’s league game against Offaly.

In addition, Donegal’s Karl Lacey is believed to have been the victim of spitting by a spectator when leaving the field after the league game against Tyrone the week before last and O’Neill believes the GAA is acting as a mirror for the current culture in the country.

“It’s a problem in society, unfortunately, and we’re an organisation which reflects society,” he said.

“While we’re introducing the Respect initiative, and implementing it from the ground up, sometimes people get ahead of the rules. I’m on record as saying that, when that happens, it’s up to us as legislators to get ahead of those people and eliminate them.”

O’Neill, who was speaking on radio station Newstalk’s Coleman At Large programme on Tuesday, is keen the GAA will implement a zero-tolerance policy.

“I don’t want people who spit [at other people] playing our games or going to our games, we’d be better off without them,” he said.

“I abhor spitting, and we will do whatever we can to eradicate it, we have had a couple of instances where it has happened, and we won’t stand for it. If allegations are proved, I’d hope that we’d deal with them as quickly as possible and give the correct penalty, there’s absolutely no excuse for it.”

O’Neill also spoke about proposed rule changes to Gaelic football which will be debated at the GAA’s Annual Congress in Derry on March 22-23, and is confident the research carried out by the Football Review Committee has been more than sufficient.

“When you try to introduce change, people will always question how that change will affect them,” he said.

“The Football Review Committee, chaired by Eugene McGee, interviewed directly or interacted with over 4,000 people. I understand that, in international politics, a poll of 3,000 people is treated very seriously and we have gone way beyond that.”

Meanwhile, GPA chiefs last night expressed concerns about the increase in high profile incidents of abuse in Gaelic games.

Almost 2,300 inter-county hurlers and footballers last year received communication from the association calling for greater respect amongst players.

The statement described the growing trend as “harmful to the reputation of our games.” It read: “While recognising the realities of contact sport and that verbal clashes will occur between players from time to time, the use of abuse or ‘sledging’ is unacceptable and is particularly harmful to the reputation of our games. We would urge all players to shun this behaviour and respect their opponents.”