Laois Club Tables Motion To Educate Young GAA Players On Effects Of Drugs And Gambling

Photo Credit: Rathdowney-Erril Facebook

It'll be voted on by members of congress at the end of the month.

The chairman of Rathdowney-Errill says witnessing the effects of cocaine use first hand prompted their motion to the GAA's annual congress. 

If passed it would require all players from U-13 up to complete an online course about the dangers of drug addiction and gambling.

Tim Barry would also like to see the testing of players extended to club level. 

He says the proposal isn't about banning players who don't comply, about education:

'I know this is a matter for the police but I want to be in the business of educating them so that young people are aware of the dangerous of this drug.

It's highly addictive. It impairs their ability to see the dangerous of the situation that they're in. Then they go out and play a match the next morning. I don't like that. 

I don't want to ban players from player out games, but I do feel if there's a certain level of testing there then players wont be willing to take the chance being caught.

That it ones of the mainstays of it. If you imagine that a player takes cocaine of a Saturday night and then plays a game the next day, they're a danger to himself and others. 

The GAA's congress take place in Mayo on Saturday February 26th. 

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