Dessie Farrell: Improving player welfare a major challenge

GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell has welcomed moves to improve GAA player welfare and development but warns that finding solutions will be challenging.

Speaking at the Web Summit yesterday, Farrell said: “I definitely think it’s (player welfare) a serious issue within our game.

“One of the greatest challenges I think we have in the game currently is to come up with a set of solutions that encompasses all the different needs and vested interests.

“As we know it’s a massive, massive challenge, particularly in relation to the topic around player welfare and the physical and emotional dimensions of that; scheduling, burn-out training and how that can have a very definite physical impact. But it can also have an emotional impact on the psychological well-being of the athlete and the emotional well-being, and then in other areas of his life like work, career, education.

“We (GPA) published a report earlier in the year that specified, in the age group from 18 to 21, some massive challenges for elite-level athletes in that whole area.

“They have to serve, by the nature of our games, so many different masters in terms of coaches and teams that play with; it could be four to five at the same time of year, which is unheard of in any other sport. That’s something we need to grapple with.

“Our recommendations evolved around reducing the age of the U21 competition, for example, to U20 and introducing a whole host of different initiatives to off-set some of those physical and psychological issues.

“The debate will go on and I’m not convinced we’re going to come up with the solutions that are required.

“But at least we’re discussing them in the right way and that debate needs to take place and hopefully there will be an outcome at the end of all of that.”

Farrell added that fans and supporters need to see the players behind the performances: “From a players’ perspective and a player welfare perspective we need to move away from the idea that it ultimately has to be all about the performance. Of course the performance is what it’s all about and that’s what drives sport and the players’ interest in it and the fans’ interest in it as a result of the performance, but behind the players who provide the performance are the human beings and the human stories. It’s incumbent on everyone involved in sport, be it players’ associations, or coaches or support staff or the clubs or the federations, that player welfare and player development become an integral part of the sporting culture at that elite level. I don’t think we’re quite there yet. We’ve made progress over the last couple of years but it has to become as important as the fan experience which there is so much money invested in in all walks of life and sports.”

Meanwhile the referees for this year’s Eirgid International Rules game between Ireland and Australia, to be played in Croke Park on November 21, have been confirmed.

Cavan’s Joe McQuillan, together with Australian, Mat Nicholls, will be the two referees on duty. South African, Ian Curlewis, is the Video Match Referee with Eddie Kinsella (Laois) the stand-by referee.