TOM PARSONS, the Chief Executive of the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) has claimed that the GAA blocked last weekend's four All-Ireland hurling semi-final teams from displaying a #UnitedForEquality banner in front of their team photographs last weekend. Galway, Limerick, Kilkenny and Clare squads were set display the banner in Croke Park, but the move to do so was blocked
The banner is in relation to a protest by LGFA and camogie players seeking increased welfare and support around the women's side of the game.
Teams wore white #UnitedforEquality T-shirts before the All-Ireland Camogie quarter-finals over the weekend.
The ladies footballers and camogie players, backed by the Gaelic Players Association (GPA), want the three governing bodies, GAA, Camogie Association and LGFA, to come together to establish a charter that would provide basic medical, gym, nutrition and expense arrangements around their inter-county preparation, even as integration talks are ongoing.
Strike action is being considered if an agreed charter ahead of the 2024 campaign cannot be agreed
GPA chief executive Parsons told members in a circular yesterday that the GAA had stopped the hurlers from showing support for their camogie and ladies football counterparts
“It’s important at this point to thank Henry Shefflin, Brian Lohan, Derek Lyng and John Kiely. All four managers had agreed to a show of solidarity by their squads ahead of the All-Ireland hurling semi-finals at the weekend," Parsons said.
GPA claim hurlers were stopped from displaying unity banner: The GPA has claimed that the GAA prevented the four All-Ireland hurling semi-final teams from displaying a #UnitedForEquality banner in front of their team photographs last weekend. https://t.co/LXvdMEyp5D
— hoganstand.com (@hoganstandgaa) July 12, 2023
“A #The UnitedForEquality banner was to be displayed as part of the pre-game team photos. Following calls from GAA leadership to county boards, an intervention was made to prevent this simple show of solidarity. The GAA leadership are clearly fearful of you using your collective voice in support of your female colleagues.
“As they prevented this straightforward action which would have caused little or no disruption to the build-up to the games, we have had a lot of angry feedback.
Parsons also added this weekend's football semifinals featuring Dublin v Monaghan on Saturday and Kerry v Derry 24 hours later could see some form of protest take place in relation to the GAA's strict stance.
"We are now considering what actions we can take to ensure the voice of players is heard," added Parsons.
This comes after Limerick Senior Hurling manager John Kiely also claimed that the 'players were dead right to be looking for standards', which would be considered 'basic' in any other circumstance.
“Like having a doctor at training. What happens if somebody has a serious head collision and has a serious concussion? Who looks after that player? We’ve had those situations here in training where we’ve had serious collisions, we’ve had players seriously injured, and you need people there,” Kiely said on Monday
“We’re talking about players who are elite sports persons, they’re not professionals, but they are elite within their own sport.
"They are the best of the best in their own sport. And where you have players who are operating at that level, they have to have medical support around it.
"If they’re going to be conditioned in a way that’s going to help prevent them from getting injured and be able to cope with the demands of the game that they’re trying to play at the highest possible level, then they need to have access to a gym.
“Surely that’s a basic requirement that could be met without there being an inordinate cost involved."
See More: GAA, GPA, Tom Parsons
