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GAA tells clubs to report county squads who breach training date regulations

Tuesday 7th July 2020

GAA clubs have been told to formally complain to Croke Park if they have evidence county squads are training in advance of 14 September.

The GAA's return to play regulations has laid down that club action is to take precedence for the summer months.

County squads are not supposed to train until 14 September with competitive county action resuming in mid-October.

The GAA has now sent an email to clubs urging them to report breaches of the training regulations by county squads.

"If a club has a grievance in relation to the availability of their county players, or feel a county team in their county are holding collective training sessions before 14 September, they are encouraged to submit a formal complaint to Croke Park," stated the Croke Park email.

"Any such correspondence must come from the official secretary email address of the club. The county in question will be forwarded the correspondence and asked to respond to the issues raised within 48 hours of receipt."

That email said that such training breaches by county squads would be a contravention of GAA Rule 7.2 (e) which refers to 'misconduct considered to have discredited the association'.

Penalties for breaking this rule range from an eight-week ban to expulsion from the association while points deductions can also be imposed in league competitions.

Croke Park's email also confirmed that there would be no GAA Player Injury Scheme cover or expenses in place for inter-county training until 14 September.

After club pitches were opened in the middle of last month, club teams were allowed to resume full contact training on 29 June with competitive club games scheduled to restart from 17 July.

The club versus county issue has led to criticism of Gaelic Players' Association after it called for the players' injury scheme insurance to remain in place for county teams during the summer months and also for players to be allowed to train with county colleagues in advance of 14 September if their clubs exited from the club championships.