Horan asks Government to allow 500 spectators attend matches
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Horan asks Government to allow 500 spectators attend matches
July 17, 2020
GAA President John Horan has asked the Government to allow 500 spectators attend club fixtures throughout the country.
On Wednesday it was announced that only 200 people can attend outdoor events until August 10.
This evening the Wexford Senior Hurling Championship commences with several other high profile club games also taking place throughout the weekend.
"The change in attendance guidelines has delivered a hammer blow to the organisation," Horan remarked on RTÉ Radio 1's Morning Ireland.
"We put the return to the club game first to benefit our members and help out County Boards survive for those clubs but our county boards were relying on an increase to 500 as a way of being able to cater for the demand on the ground from our supporters.
"They now have the extra burden of continuing to police 200 being in attendance.
"If you take those involved in the teams and stewarding out of it, you're probably looking at 120 supporters going to a game.
"If you work out the dimensions of a GAA pitch, that allows for social distancing of four metres between everybody attending the match."
Horan has also urged spectators attending fixtures to wear face coverings.
"We have also encouraged everybody to wear face-masks, so I think these figures are a bit severe on us as an organisation, and I openly call on the Taoiseach and Tánaiste to go back and review those figures for us as an organisation," Horan added
By Cian O'Connell
https://www.gaa.ie/news/horan-asks-government-to-allow-500-spectators-attend-gaa-fixtures/