THE LADIES GAELIC FOOTBALL Association [LGFA] recommends that inter-county training should stop “for now,” while 95% of players say they are open to playing games behind closed doors.
The association has published the findings of a survey which was conducted in relation to return-to-play protocols following the Covid-19 pandemic. A number of groups within the LGFA were contacted to respond to the survey, including club players and county players.
One of the key findings in the survey relates to the playing of inter-county games behind closed doors. Of the 356 inter-county players who responded to the survey, 95% said they would be open to playing games under such conditions.
The survey also found a strong appetite among its members to give priority to the club game over inter-county competitions if activity returns. 83% of county players said they would support this.
2,060 club players participated in the survey, with 90% of them saying they would prioritise the club game over inter-county fixtures.
Separately, the LGFA also released a statement saying that it “hopes to be in a position to play some club and inter-county games this year.” The GAA previously stated that the 2020 All-Ireland championships will not be staged until at least October.
Following that advice, the LGFA is suggesting that inter-county teams should stop training for now “and only resume when it is advised to do so.”
“The LGFA hopes to be in a position to play some club and inter-county games this year, subject to public health guidelines.
“As it is unlikely that inter-county games will be played before October at the earliest, the LGFA is now recommending that inter-county training should cease for now, and only resume when it is advised to do so.
“The LGFA will continue to adhere to best practice in relation to Covid-19, and the Association will be guided at all times by the Government and public health authorities.
When the situation becomes clearer, there will be a phased resumption of training at both club and county levels, to allow players to prepare for a return to play.
“The LGFA will work closely with the GAA in the formulation of these return-to-play protocols, which will be activated only when it is safe to do so.
LGFA President Marie Hickey said:
“I would like to thank all of our stakeholders who engaged in the surveys that were sent out, and completed last weekend.
“The various responses made for interesting reading and it was important to gauge the views of players, managers, referees and officials.
“We all look forward to the time when we can safely return to training and playing games.
“Until then, I would once again urge all of our members to continue adhering to current Covid-19 guidelines, and I wish everybody well during these challenging and unprecedented times.”
Full details about the findings of the LGFA survey are available here
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