In the absence of a formal recognition agreement between the GAA and the Gaelic Players Association, the GPA is proceeding with plans to address the needs of players and the players’ association over the coming months.
These plans, which the GPA believes are fair and reasonable, will include the assertion of player rights in the area of the GAA’s commercial sponsorship and contracted broadcast partnerships.
The GPA will commence this campaign by asserting player rights at the Leinster SFC final and the Munster SHC final on July 12. Players from the four squads involved will not be available for sports programming on the relevant channels or any GAA sponsors promotional activity around these two fixtures.In no other aspect will the staging of the two finals be affected by the actions of the GPA and its members. The GPA has requested the GAA to fund a series of enhanced player welfare programmes in the critical areas of employment, career development and health and wellbeing services. As players have chosen the GPA to represent their interests, it is only through the establishment of a meaningful official relationship with the attendant financial commitment that the GAA can meet its obligations to the inter-county players who do more than anybody to fuel its financial engine.
The players association is 10 years in existence and has attempted to negotiate a formal arrangement with Croke Park under five different presidents.
Note: The GPA will be making no further comment on this issue at this point.
