John Horan: GAA games unlikely while social distancing is still enforced
"If social distancing is a priority to deal with this pandemic, I don't know how we can play," says GAA President
Last Updated: 12/05/20 10:26am
GAA President John Horan has stated that it is difficult to see Gaelic games action returning while social distancing is still encouraged on the island of Ireland.
The dates of the 2020 championship are still unclear, with the GAA indicating last week that there will be no intercounty matches before October.
Speaking on The Sunday Game, Horan was asked if there could be a return to action while social distancing policies remain.
"I can't see it happening, to be quite honest," he said. "If social distancing is a priority to deal with this pandemic, I don't know how we can play a contact sport, and that is what Gaelic games is - it is a contact sport.
"When you look at the level of contact in sports, scrums in rugby are probably at a different level. But I don't think to say our games are non-contact is correct."
Last week, the Irish government suggested that GAA action could return on July 20, as part of the national plan to ease restrictions. But Horan stated that this announcement took the association by surprise.
"We've been working with the Department of Sport in a general level, with other sporting organisations. But we weren't involved in any specific details that were put into the plan," said the Dubliner.
"I think it did give everyone a bit of an uplift to feel we were coming back, but we had to examine and look at it closely."
Throughout all communications, the GAA have reiterated that club matches will take priority whenever the games do return.
