Cora Staunton believes 'huge problems' with player welfare pushing women to other sports

WANT CHANGES: GPA Vice-President Cora Staunton has described the ladies football players charter as “very watery” and believes "huge problems" with player welfare will push more of them to Australian Rules. Pic: ©INPHO/Tom Maher

Former Mayo star Cora Staunton has described the ladies football players charter as “very watery” and believes "huge problems" with player welfare will push more of them to Australian Rules.

Gaelic Players Association (GPA) vice-president Staunton, who played for the Great Western Sydney Giants for five years, believes minimal and capped mileage rates and lack of financial support towards necessary surgery are turning the heads of Irish women, 35 of whom will line out in the upcoming AFLW season.

“I can only give my opinion but I certainly think it is down to welfare, how they are being looked after. Numerous different things, the whole female charter – it only came in this year so we have to wait to see how that is going. Mileage, unclear on that?

“Obviously, Australia is attractive from the point of view that it is a professional sport. I just think the female players are feeling like second class citizens. The example of the Armagh-Mayo (this weekend’s All-Ireland quarter-final) match being on at 5.45 on a Sunday evening.

“We still have the same problems unfortunately that I had when I was playing. I think females at times, we feel we are grateful for getting something. Mary (Ryan, Tipperary camogie player) spoke about maybe getting 12 cent a mile, so we are grateful just to get that, why should we be grateful?

“They are giving up as much time as the male inter-county players – training three, four, five times a week – whether that’s on field or in the gym, recovery sessions, if you are out of pocket (it’s difficult).

“I feel like I’m the one talking about it year in and year out, but the same things were happenings 16-17 years ago now that are happening now. I’m an impatient person, I think the change needs to be a lot quicker. I think our players are just kind of getting fed up and don’t feel they are being looked after enough, so they are exploring different avenues whether that is other sports or just going away from the game.” 

GPA chief operations officer Ciarán Barr says the Ladies Gaelic Football and Camogie Associations’ attitude towards the player body has to improve. “I don't think it's acceptable that the LGFA and the Camogie Association continue to behave in that way, that treats the GPA as a sort of inconvenience and that when it's needed and they have to play with us, they'll play friendly and when it's not needed they can choose to ignore us. It's just not acceptable in this day and age.”