Assaults at GAA games

[imtommygunn]

I'm not sure any of you lads coach or are involved with underage teams but if the referee puts in their report that a mentor or supporter lays a hand on an underage player it will be treated as assault.

If that much is true then I'd expect the respective authority to be informed, i.e. peelers.

"Following a directive from the GAA National Children's Safeguarding Office last year all incidents where a mentor or supporter grabs an opposing team player will be treated as an assault and will be reported to the National Children's Officer"

What would then trying to seperate them or physically trying to break up a fight?

Would that be construde as an assault?

I wouldn't take the chance

You have to at times. In the instance of this video that kid could have taken an awful beating. The mentor had to step in.

I know. It's a tricky one. You could be calming the situation down but another coach could say you were pushing/assualting an opposition player and the whole thing could kick off.

Would take very little to light the fuse.

Think you have to make sure that your player is safe first and foremost if it looks like he might take a beating. If an opposition mentor wants to make an issue out of it then worry about that if it comes to it, but child's safety has to come first.

As you say, can very easily escalate.

You have to step in tbh. I was involved the other way round where our own player was the aggressor and I dragged him out of it as he'd decked another poor wee unsuspecting under 12 who'd done nothing to deserve it and was getting battered.  You can't stand and watch a kid getting battered.

[Saffrongael]

I have been involved in underage teams the last few years and what kids that age and younger find it hard to adapt to is physical contact.

We continually tell them you are going to get shouldered, pushed etc but you don't lift your hands. I have seen training sessions where some kids want to hand out the digs just because they get fairly tackled

[imtommygunn]

Yeah very much this.

[Milltown Row2]

I have been involved in underage teams the last few years and what kids that age and younger find it hard to adapt to is physical contact.

We continually tell them you are going to get shouldered, pushed etc but you don't lift your hands. I have seen training sessions where some kids want to hand out the digs just because they get fairly tackled

Under age games should be tighter ref'd for starters, that meet 16/18 age group is full of 'spunk' and take things very personal

[whitey]

There was a scuffle at an underage match in Mayo last year where a player was assaulted by a mentor of the opposing team

The team of the assaulted player were fined for recording an underage game without pre approval from the County Board

Get the f*** out of here??

100% happened

They produced video evidence of the assault and were fined for videoing without permission

[Armagh18]

There was a scuffle at an underage match in Mayo last year where a player was assaulted by a mentor of the opposing team

The team of the assaulted player were fined for recording an underage game without pre approval from the County Board

Get the f*** out of here??

100% happened

I'd well believe it and tbh no complaints, rules like that are there for obvious child protection reasons.

Although please tell me the mentor who assaulted the player got punished also?

[whitey]

There was a scuffle at an underage match in Mayo last year where a player was assaulted by a mentor of the opposing team

The team of the assaulted player were fined for recording an underage game without pre approval from the County Board

Get the f*** out of here??

100% happened

I'd well believe it and tbh no complaints, rules like that are there for obvious child protection reasons.

Although please tell me the mentor who assaulted the player got punished also?

Yes-he got a 96 week ban which was the reduced to two weeks on an appeal

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2022/10/19/castlebar-mitchels-call-for-suspension-of-mayo-u17-championship-after-adult-confronted-player-on-pitch/

[Wildweasel74]

Here with phones these days anybody can film at a match, as usual the Gaa rules are yrs outta date. How he get it reduced to 2weeks.With the county board attitude there, the thing should been taken to the garda.

[Milltown Row2]

What is the actual ruling on recording games? Do both teams at juvenile level have to agree? Is that the same at senior?

[imtommygunn]

I think it's the same at senior and junior. I know I have seen it before that streams were advertised and then cancelled because opposition wouldn't agree.

[Milltown Row2]

I think it's the same at senior and junior. I know I have seen it before that streams were advertised and then cancelled because opposition wouldn't agree.

No one has ever asked me for permission. Plenty telling me to watch it later 

[Wildweasel74]

I used to do camera for a Junior team for a no. Of games, so management could review it bck. Never botherdd to ask permissions of the other team. Do they ask the all the parents for filming county U-17? Don't think it.

[J70]

What if it's being played at a public venue?

Less likely in rural areas, but do they play GAA in the Phoenix Park or St Anne's or Marley Parks in Dublin, for example?

I played tonnes of soccer back in the day all over Dublin on council pitches. Can't see any legal issues with someone filming there.

[brokencrossbar1]

Filming is not an issue but rewatching it's is. That's why permission should be sought,  particularly within underage. It's obeyed on the breach all the time but permission should be sought.

[trailer]

I hadn't thought about this until now, but the person who videoed that and shared it on social media could be in hot water. Certainly if one of the families pushes it with the Garda. There is a safeguarding issue here. The young fella doing the vast majority of the fighting will have had a rough few days because this has been shared widely.