REVELATIONS FROM GALWAY this week that two clubs in the county bet on themselves this year has brought the issue of gambling and the GAA bubbling to the surface once again.
There are plans from the GAA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee to bring a motion to Annual Congress next year, whereby measures aimed at stopping players from betting on games and competitions they are involved in would be introduced.
Such measures would prove almost impossible to police, however, as former Galway hurler and addiction counsellor Justin Campbell has acknowledged.
“The player will walk into Paddy Power’s and put on the bet himself – who’s to stop it?
“Suppose you’re knocked out in the championship in an All-Ireland quarter-final, you can’t have a bet either because it’s still the competition you were involved in.
“I don’t know what the right way is but something needs to be done – an open debate needs to take place.
“You can make all the policies you like but if players don’t adhere to them, you’re in serious bother.”
During the summer, leading bookmakers Paddy Power and Boylesports moved to stop betting on underage GAA games.
But one former inter-county star has indicated to The42 that players at various levels involved in gambling on various sports is now a “massive crisis.”
“It’s the topic of conversation in many dressing rooms,” he said. “Lads reaching for phones after matches and training, to check if a team/horse/dog is after coming up trumps for them. Sad but true.”
But what’s the solution, if any?
Take our poll and have your say in the comments section below…
Poll Results:
The42 is on Instagram! Tap the button below on your phone to follow us!
This kid is a superstar in the making. I reckon he could indeed by Ireland captain someday. Hard as nails.
How’s it his first AND his hardest? Does he know something we don’t? O’ Mahony is Marty McFly in disguise!
I wonder what it says in the Sports Almanac of 2013?
Anyone see o mahony in a bookies?
Must say something along the lines of this being Munster’s hardest game for the next 10 years at least! I did see his fathers old friend in the bookies though! Wait a minute……Biff!!!
He obviously meant one of his hardest games, what a surprise “thescore” leads with his minor slip up……..
Ah, tis only a joke, relax. No doubt, being up there, responding to quick-fire questioning with micro-phones is no easy task. I’d wager that he’d see the funny side of it though. Utmost respect for the man.
Misread your post a little there. Thought you are having a go at us for a wee bit of banter. Retract, retract…..!! :)
Peter has a hard semi