Tipperary's Drom & Inch proposes drug testing for club players 

HEALTHY CLUB INITIATIVE: Drom & Inch are proposing drug testing be extended from inter-county level to clubs. Pic: ©INPHO/Tommy Grealy

Tipperary club Drom & Inch are proposing drug testing be extended from inter-county level to clubs on an appropriate scale.

According to Rule 1.16 of the GAA’s Official Guide Part I, all GAA players are subject to anti-doping rules as adopted by Sport Ireland. However, few if any footballers and hurlers outside the senior inter-county scene have been tested.

In an attempt to promote their Healthy Club initiative and prevent the use of performance-enhancing and recreational drugs, the mid-Tipperary club want to ensure the testing is expanded and have fashioned a motion due to be discussed at county convention next month.

Stressing that their reasons for proposing the motion were not because of local experiences, Drom & Inch secretary Trevor Hassett explained: “It was passed at our committee meeting recently. It’s something we feel should be scaled to the club players.

“I’ve since been aware that there is a rule there already that includes club players but is not enforced largely due to logistics. I don’t think there is anything extremely sinister at play in the club game but it’s more of a preventative measure.

“There are probably locations around the country we all know that may have an issue with performance-enhancing or recreational drugs. It’s becoming a bit too prevalent in society and while recreational drugs mightn’t enhance a lad’s performance, we’re part of the Healthy Club initiative and we want to put it out there that’s it not welcome in the GAA or society because it’s not safe.” 

Drom & Inch’s motion follows Rathdowney-Errill's proposal to prohibit players from lining out in adult championship games if they have not engaged in a drug and gambling addiction and anti-doping awareness. That initiative was deferred by Annual Congress in Bekan, Co Mayo earlier this year to the GAA’s community and health department.

Hassett continued: “The main thing is to start the conversation like the Rathdowney motion, which for some reason has yet to gain traction. It’s like anything, if you throw enough proverbial at the wall some of it will stick. It’s not something we feel is a local issue and we’re not pointing fingers but we promote being a healthy club and we want to get the ball rolling on this.” 

Last January, Leinster chairman and now GAA presidential candidate Pat Teehan raised the issue of cocaine use in society and in turn the association. “Unfortunately, in recent years, the use of so-called recreational drugs, and, in particular, cocaine, has become prevalent across all areas of society, from the smallest rural village to the largest urban area,” remarked the Offaly man.

“While it would be over-dramatic to say it is an epidemic, it is nonetheless a very concerning situation and GAA players and members are certainly not immune from this culture. As the largest voluntary sporting organisation in the country and embedded in every community, all GAA units should play our part in creating awareness among our young people to the dangers of becoming involved in this habit.”