Kevin McCloy and the special injury fund

[Jinxy]

Former All Star slams GAA for refusing to pay him from injury fund following on-pitch heart attack

Former Derry All Star Kevin McCloy, who suffered a heart attack during a club game last August, has criticised the GAA for refusing to pay him from a special injury fund.

The 36-year-old father of two was left in a coma for three days after suffering a heart attack during a club game for Erin's Own last August and almost lost his life.

McCloy was shocked when he tried to access the GAA's players' injury scheme while he was unable to work and was refused payment.

"I had fought for my life for the last three months and the last people I thought I would have to try and fight would by the GAA," he told The Irish News.

"It just went against the whole ethos of what I thought the GAA was about.

"I always found that the GAA was about family and if anybody was in trouble we all looked after each other. But I soon found out that whenever it came down to it they threw me up a letter like everybody else and said 'good luck'."

McCloy says he was ineligible for the fund because he did not suffer an accidental bodily injury.

His wife Cathy pursued the matter with the GAA and eventually McCloy received a 'goodwill' payment from the association.

The GAA confirmed that McCloy's original application was rejected, a spokesperson said: "Kevin's injury is not covered as a pre-existing underlying condition.

"But the GAA made a payment to Kevin that would have matched the amount had his condition been covered by the player injury scheme."

The whole ordeal has left a sour taste for McCloy: "If truth be told for a few weeks and months there I didn't ever see myself sending the two children to a GAA pitch."

McCloy won an All Star for his performances with Derry in 2007. He also played hurling for Lavey and previously won an Ulster hurling medal for Derry.

McCloy's sudden collapse brought back memories of Tyrone player Cormac McAnallen (24), who died in his sleep in March 2004 from an undetected heart condition.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/former-all-star-slams-gaa-for-refusing-to-pay-him-from-injury-fund-following-onpitch-heart-attack-30937266.html

What do people think about this?
I'd never really considered the role of the injury fund in the context of a heart attack.
Should it cover everything that happens on the field of play?

[DennistheMenace]

In my view it should cover everyting that happens on the field of play.

On another note, I see the GAA provided a goodwil financial gesture, would this have been handed out to the ordinary club player?

Great to see Kevin back on his feet and on the road to recovery, a gentleman and a rock for Lavey and Derry over the years.

[cockahoop]

If he was still a county captain The GPA would have been all over it making sure he was sorted out but once you become a humble club player they dont want to know.

[nrico2006]

Either the injury fund covers everything on the pitch or it doesn't.  You hear the same crap every year about paying your membership to cover insurance etc then the like of this happens and its not covered.  Why should we bother paying then?

As for the 'goodwill gesture', thats just a joke because as mentioned I am sure there are a lot of other players who have had similar incidents and never got a penny due to their lack of profile.

[Jinxy]

I've a lot of sympathy for Kevin but at the same time, if this had happened to him in his back garden, or at the gym, or in the supermarket, he'd probably be dead.
And it could have happened anywhere.
He didn't incur an injury, he had a heart attack.

[DennistheMenace]

I've a lot of sympathy for Kevin but at the same time, if this had happened to him in his back garden, or at the gym, or in the supermarket, he'd probably be dead.
And it could have happened anywhere.
He didn't incur an injury, he had a heart attack.

He suffered a life changing accident on a GAA pitch, he should be covered full stop in my opinion. We look after our own, at least I thought we did.

[JohnDenver]

I've a lot of sympathy for Kevin but at the same time, if this had happened to him in his back garden, or at the gym, or in the supermarket, he'd probably be dead.
And it could have happened anywhere.
He didn't incur an injury, he had a heart attack.

Don't see what your point is here?  He could have broken a leg in his back garden, or at the gym, or in the supermarket also, which would have had nothing to do with the GAA.  The fact is, that whilst he was taking part in a GAA match this incident happened, which has meant that he has had to miss work and suffered a loss of earnings.  The Player Injury Scheme should then be covering this to a certain extent along side any medical expenses occurred.

[stibhan]

If he was still a county captain The GPA would have been all over it making sure he was sorted out but once you become a humble club player they dont want to know.

This was my initial reaction, but then I don't know if it's true? It's entirely possible that they made submissions on his behalf.

What is true is that if this was an ordinary club player with no intercounty experience playing in a reserve game then they certainly, certainly wouldn't have.

[Keepthefaith93]

As it stands the GAA insurance is not fit for purpose, it very rarely covers the cost of treatment for injured players leaving the clubs with an access of upto £2000 excess per injury.

An idea i would put forward is that the GAA do not fund the GPA millions of Euro to build a whatever you call it, but instead invest it to top up the insurance fund to ensure that ordinary working lads who are injured on playing football/hurling are properly looked after.

[Club Rossa]

The incident happened while he was playing a match,should have been covered.Very poor from the GAA.

[Croí na hÉireann]

The injury scheme doesn't cover physiotherapy either, which most people aren't aware of.

[Bingo]

The scheme has evolved over the years and as a club we've had no issue with it. If you know the parameters of it and what it covers, you make sure you have your paper work in order and go from there.

It was a crazy scheme in the first few years as it covered physio and all sorts. As it stands from our point of view anyway, it covers itself and it only takes one serious injury for it to become essential.

While it may not cover some of the claims with the excess in place, it still is better than nothing. Would you like to be an official in a club and send players out knowing that they have no cover at all? Or if a club isn't willing to genuinely look after their players, then they should have a look at themselves. Some will abuse it for sure and you get some off the cuff chancers but you deal with them.

I think McCloy should have been looked after. Is it likely that the game that day caused the heart attack? It may have happened anywhere, at any time but it happened on a GAA field.

[Jinxy]

I've a lot of sympathy for Kevin but at the same time, if this had happened to him in his back garden, or at the gym, or in the supermarket, he'd probably be dead.
And it could have happened anywhere.
He didn't incur an injury, he had a heart attack.

Don't see what your point is here?  He could have broken a leg in his back garden, or at the gym, or in the supermarket also, which would have had nothing to do with the GAA.  The fact is, that whilst he was taking part in a GAA match this incident happened, which has meant that he has had to miss work and suffered a loss of earnings.  The Player Injury Scheme should then be covering this to a certain extent along side any medical expenses occurred.

My point is that where he was and what he was doing was not the cause of the injury.
If someone hit him a clatter and broke his leg then that's different.
You are at a higher risk of injury playing football than you would be if you were sitting at home watching telly.
That's why we need insurance, injury funds etc. however is it reasonable to presume it should cover everything that happens once you walk onto the pitch?
Is a heart attack an 'injury'?

[J70]

Did he suffer a heart attack, or was it a cardiac arrest? Two different things, although a heart attack (blocked cardiac artery) can sometimes lead to a cardiac arrest (heart stops beating).

[seafoid]

I've a lot of sympathy for Kevin but at the same time, if this had happened to him in his back garden, or at the gym, or in the supermarket, he'd probably be dead.
And it could have happened anywhere.
He didn't incur an injury, he had a heart attack.

He suffered a life changing accident on a GAA pitch, he should be covered full stop in my opinion. We look after our own, at least I thought we did.

how is the fund funded ? If they exclude pre existing conditions the cost is reduced.
C'est Lavey.