Club chairmen predict player exodus after GAA pause wage cover from injury benefit fund

GAA finance director Ger Mulryan said the pausing of wage cover will save the fund approximately €1.3m per annum

Ger Mulryan, GAA director of finance, right, alongside GAA director general Tom Ryan. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile

Club chairmen in Kilkenny and Waterford have warned that changes to the GAA’s injury benefit fund will lead to a significant drop-off in participation numbers this year, with one club officer predicting thousands of players will stay away because of the removal of cover for loss of wages.

On December 1 of last year, clubs were informed by Croke Park of an indefinite pause to the loss of wages cover. The correspondence stated that the removal of wage cover was to “partly address” the predicted €4m deficit the GAA’s player injury fund would incur across 2020 and 2021.