GAA Response to Coronavirus

[Square Ball]

Hard to see anything happening now. So someone is a carrier and 25 other fellas in a small changing room, all go out and play, one fella in the other team now infected, repeat a few days later at training then at the next game, is it worth it? Not a chance, no gambling people's lives

[pbat]

Championship postponed indefinitely, nothing before July for certain.

[five points]

Something has to give lads. A vaccine may take 18 months. Bars schools clubs parks building sites are going to have to open sometimes. Older people just need to watch themselves and isolate as much as possible until a vaccine is ready. But to stop the whole country for 18 months at least will have a devastating affect on everyone. Club football should be told to go ahead when they have it under control. Keep up with the social distance stuff as best we can. Something has to give

I can understand the need to get the economy moving again, but club football strikes me as being far down the list of things we need to get started again.

I agree 100% but if or when the virus recedes, club competitions will be easy enough to get started compared to the intercounty scene.

[balladmaker]

I don't see any county games this year, even club games could be a stretch.  As a suggestion, park the remainder of 2020 until we get this under control, get a vaccine out, and in March 2021 complete the 2020 leagues .... so Armagh can get a rattle at Roscommon for a place in Div 1 :-)

[Clinker]

Faceless old men in darkened rooms dithering over whether young men can be sent out into danger for the entertainment of others.

Why the dilatory official statement?

What have you become?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AHCfZTRGiI

[Smurfy123]

Serious question
What's the difference in 3/400 walking about Tesco in a closed environment to say 50 at an underage match on a football pitch?
And don't say social distance in a shop. I've shopped in Tesco 4 times and as much as people would like to think everyone is on top of each other. And the poor shelf stackers are coming into contact with thousands a day

[StephenC]

Serious question
What's the difference in 3/400 walking about Tesco in a closed environment to say 50 at an underage match on a football pitch?
And don't say social distance in a shop. I've shopped in Tesco 4 times and as much as people would like to think everyone is on top of each other. And the poor shelf stackers are coming into contact with thousands a day

So what's your point? It's poor in the Tesco you go to therefore it's grand to go ahead with underage football? Thought you said this was a serious question?

[Rich Ricci]

Serious question
What's the difference in 3/400 walking about Tesco in a closed environment to say 50 at an underage match on a football pitch?
And don't say social distance in a shop. I've shopped in Tesco 4 times and as much as people would like to think everyone is on top of each other. And the poor shelf stackers are coming into contact with thousands a day

Necessity. Shops are doing all they can to enforce social distancing but there's only so much you can do. People need food but they should be shopping as infrequently as possible. 50 young ones don't need to be running around a pitch just now

[yellowcard]

Serious question
What's the difference in 3/400 walking about Tesco in a closed environment to say 50 at an underage match on a football pitch?
And don't say social distance in a shop. I've shopped in Tesco 4 times and as much as people would like to think everyone is on top of each other. And the poor shelf stackers are coming into contact with thousands a day

Serious answer. The people in Tesco are walking about to help feed their families. The fifty people at an underage club match are engaging in their hobby.

Imagine the outcry if even one person died from the GAA or any other sporting organisation rushing back and spreading the virus again. The GAA is a conservative but also a responsible organisation and I don't think they will take the risk. It's not what people want to hear and that is why I think they are not saying it at the moment (no GAA matches for a long time) , they don't want to kill all hope.   

[Smurfy123]

Walking in the park and buying alcohol is essential?

[yellowcard]

Walking in the park and buying alcohol is essential?

If you need help in understanding the difference between keeping supermarkets open and restarting GAA underage fixtures then there is hardly much point in continuing any debate. Thankfully I would trust the GAA hierarchy to be more responsible than that.

[five points]

Imagine the outcry if even one person died from the GAA or any other sporting organisation rushing back and spreading the virus again. The GAA is a conservative but also a responsible organisation and I don't think they will take the risk. It's not what people want to hear and that is why I think they are not saying it at the moment (no GAA matches for a long time) , they don't want to kill all hope.   

People often die because of involvement in GAA and other sports, chiefly in road accidents. There is no logic in saying that sports should be banned in order to prevent a single death. Nobody as far as I know wants GAA to resume right now but there will come a time when decisions will have to be made. Next winter will be very difficult if there is neither sport nor recreation in the meantime and there will be lives lost on foot of that too.

[Rossfan]

Serious question
What's the difference in 3/400 walking about Tesco in a closed environment to say 50 at an underage match on a football pitch?
And don't say social distance in a shop. I've shopped in Tesco 4 times and as much as people would like to think everyone is on top of each other. And the poor shelf stackers are coming into contact with thousands a day

Necessity. Shops are doing all they can to enforce social distancing but there's only so much you can do. People need food but they should be shopping as infrequently as possible. 50 young ones don't need to be running around a pitch just now

Exactly.

[yellowcard]

Imagine the outcry if even one person died from the GAA or any other sporting organisation rushing back and spreading the virus again. The GAA is a conservative but also a responsible organisation and I don't think they will take the risk. It's not what people want to hear and that is why I think they are not saying it at the moment (no GAA matches for a long time) , they don't want to kill all hope.   

People often die because of involvement in GAA and other sports, chiefly in road accidents. There is no logic in saying that sports should be banned in order to prevent a single death. Nobody as far as I know wants GAA to resume right now but there will come a time when decisions will have to be made. Next winter will be very difficult if there is neither sport nor recreation in the meantime and there will be lives lost on foot of that too.

I would be broadly in agreement with that, however by the time this virus begins to recede and the numbers fall, the decision will have to be made whether to resume GAA on a small scale or not. It's an unenviable decision because whilst it is important for peoples mental well being, nobody will want to bear responsibility for another outbreak of the virus in their own community. Already GAA clubs have been instructed to close their gates by insurance companies wary of any potential claims, if I'm in charge of a GAA underage team I would be reluctant to organise or participate in group training sessions whilst a vaccine is not available. Its a crap situation but unfortunately I can't see an easy solution.

As far as the county game is concerned I really don't see it resuming until a vaccination is available unless they play games behind closed doors and I don't see how that would work for an organisation like the GAA.     

[five points]

As far as the county game is concerned I really don't see it resuming until a vaccination is available unless they play games behind closed doors and I don't see how that would work for an organisation like the GAA.     

Waiting for a safe tested and effective vaccine to become universally available will be like waiting for Godot. Will the GAA survive as we know it if it ends up being mothballed for 2 or 3 years? I have my doubts.