A GAA club's player charter document, which began circulating online over the weekend and has been attributed to an All-Ireland senior championship winning team, has been the subject of much criticism.
The document says that the senior team management's goal for the upcoming season is to have "a fully committed panel for 2024 who will work hard on and off the field".
It goes on to outline the "requirements needed from players" before they sign up.
Those requirements say that anyone planning an extended trip abroad this summer, such as to the USA on a J1 Visa, cannot be part of the senior panel in 2024.
There are to be no holidays taken from June to October, during the club's championship, unless they are approved by management and the leadership group. The same goes for the consumption of alcohol. A breach of either requirement will result in "suspension or removal from [the] panel".
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There are also to be no other "sporting commitments" - such as soccer, golf, rugby or athletics - beyond June.
Equipment for a pre-match warm-up before a GAA game. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
The document also splits the 46-player panel into a four groups. There is a training panel, those involved in third level Gaelic games, those who are part of the county's U20 panel and those playing for the senior inter-county team.
Former Roscommon footballer Shane Curran posted to social media that "If any club or management put [their] name to that BS, it’s a club / county in decline or turmoil".
Conor Mortimer, the former Mayo footballer, said "The reality of it is players will eventually get frustrated and those who set out that [charter] will get the chance to do it somewhere else". Former Kildare footballer Johnny Doyle said, "It will end in tears".
The club has been contacted for comment.
The full list of requirements:
1) Anyone planning trips to Australia / America and Canada etc for the summer can't be part of the senior panel for 2024.
2) No holidays during championship (June - Oct) unless approved by management and the leadership group. Unapproved holidays means suspension or removal from panel.
3) No drinking during championship (June - Oct) unless approved by management and the leadership group. Unapproved drinking means suspension or removal from panel.
4) Pre Xmas individual running / conditioning program for listed training panel. All needed to be logged on App.
5) Jan - March (collective running and S&C work). Mandatory attendance and Fitness test markers (pre - middle and end).
6) Logging of activity on the app for all (all other panel members) on a consistent basis > 90%
7) Commitment to treating league 2024 like championship in all aspects of prep
8) Commitment by team to lead the team fundraising activity (15k) and to players training fund thereafter
9) Commitment from Dublin and Limerick lads to attend training once a week come Jan.
10) No other sporting commitments past June. Soccer. Golf. Rugby. athletics etc
11) Commitment to train at the highest levels. ALL of the time. Commitment to achieving fitness and conditioning targets as set down by Management.
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