Allianz report could be issued to GAA Management Committee in January

On Thursday, Down’s monthly county board meeting are set to debate club Saval’s proposal to remove the counties’ senior football and hurling teams from the Allianz-sponsored National Leagues.

The GAA's leadership had committed to releasing the report on which the association based its decision to maintain the relationship with Allianz. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

The GAA’s ethics and integrity commission’s report on the association's relationship with Allianz could be issued to its Management Committee later this month.

The organisation’s leadership had committed to releasing the report, which recommended it continue its commercial relationship with the global insurance company that extends to sponsorship and a multitude of premiums across the GAA.

Should the report be presented to Coiste Bainisti on January 23, it may then be issued to Central Council delegates by which stage the leagues sponsored by Allianz will be up and running.

Speaking last month, GAA president Jarlath Burns hailed the document: "That is the report of the ethics and integrity commission that have spent the last four months going into deep academic research on all of this.

“It is one of the most impressive reports I have read and I think it would be folly for us to get the best people that we have got to do a report and then just ignore it."

Allianz, who are also one of three associate sponsors of the All-Ireland senior football championship, were named in a UN-commissioned report as one of a number of companies financially linked to the genocide in Gaza.

The ethics and integrity commission’s report found that Allianz PLC had no association with the Israel Defence Forces “or corporate entities involved in the war in Gaza.” However, it highlighted “any such relationship is with a ‘sibling or cousin company” of Allianz.

On Thursday, Down’s monthly county board meeting are set to debate club Saval’s proposal to remove the counties’ senior football and hurling teams from the National Leagues.

It is not expected Down will pull out of the competitions but the fact a club have been moved to make such a recommendation is indicative of the unease among the membership about the sponsorship.

Meanwhile, both of Munster’s pre-season competition finals will take place this Saturday. Kerry entertain Cork in the McGrath Cup final in Fitzgerald Stadium at 1.30pm while Waterford will face Limerick in the Co-Op Superstores Munster Senior Hurling League decider at 3.15pm.

The O’Byrne Cup final between Kildare and Westmeath is scheduled for Cedral St Conleth’s Park on Friday evening with a 7.30pm throw-in. The FBD Connacht League will conclude with the meeting of Galway and Mayo in Tuam Stadium on Sunday at 1.30pm.

The McKenna Cup final has been pencilled in for a 5pm start on Saturday with a venue to be decided. The semi-finals take place on Wednesday when Monaghan host Tyrone in Inniskeen and Derry meet Donegal in Celtic Park. Both matches have 7.30pm starts.