• Home
  • /
  • The News
  • /
  • In Defence Of Shane Ross Being Appointed As Minister For Sport

In Defence Of Shane Ross Being Appointed As Minister For Sport

Gavan Casey
By Gavan Casey
Share this article

Independent TD Shane Ross has been appointed the new Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport - or Minister for Sport, for short (in this office at least).

A former business editor for the Sunday Independent, the 66-year-old remains one of Ireland's most prominent commentators in his former field, but many sports fans and scribes across the country are less than enthused as to what 'Rosser' is capable of bringing to the table in terms of football, rugby, GAA and so on.

One man even suggested that Ross doesn't 'even lift' which is surely unfair. In his line of work, he presumably often uses lifts, and his Whistleblowers Protection Bill from 2011 was designed to protect whistleblowers from losing their jobs if they lifted the lid on unethical practice by their employers.

However, the concerned sportspeople above, along with countless others voicing their concerns about the appointment, may not be aware that Shane Ross has more than a passing interest in sport: He spends money on it.

Advertisement

Indeed, Rosser has a hugely entertaining, ongoing sportsbetting feud with his close friend and fellow Independent, Finian McGrath. Yes, it sounds like something we'd make up, granted, but it's actually entirely true:

Recommended

And trust us, there are a lot more bets where those came from...

Ross' approach to the convoluted combination of finance and sport tells us three things.

1) He likes sport.
2) He's willing to invest in sport if he foresees tangible returns.
3) Finian McGrath might have a debilitating gambling addiction that we don't know about, and Shane Ross is probably his enabler.

He's even willing to listen to and take advice from the public, a welcomed trait which stood him in particularly lucrative stead after the 2013 Champions League final at Wembley.

This bodes well for those concerned by the current lack of regulation and one clear governing body in MMA, in particular, but also to fans of other so-called marginal sports like boxing.

Jokes aside, it's at least comforting to know that he is indeed aware of what sport is, and it shall be interesting to see how much money, if any, he's given to further invest in sport in this country.

[H/T: Amy O'Connor - TheDailyEdge]

Join The Monday Club Have a tip or something brilliant you wanted to share on? We're looking for loyal Balls readers free-to-join members club where top tipsters can win prizes and Balls merchandise

Processing your request...

You are now subscribed!

Share this article

Copyright © 2024. All rights reserved. Developed by Square1 and powered by PublisherPlus.com

Advertisement