GAA President says spitting is a reflection of ‘problems in society’

GAA President has said that the recent alleged spitting incidents in the GAA are a reflection of much wider issues in Irish society.

By Declan Whooley

Last weekend saw two more high profile incidents come to light when footage emerged of Paul Galvin allegedly being spat at during the All-Ireland Junior Club Final last month, while Leitrim’s Emlyn Mulligan was on the receiving end of the disgusting act in the National league game against Offaly on Sunday. Donegal’s Karl Lacey is also believed to have been spat at by a Tyrone supporter last week.

Those incidents have brought the issue firmly into the spotlight, but O’Neill believes that the unsavoury scenes are a reflection of what is unfolding in Irish society.

“It’s a problem in society, unfortunately, and we’re an organisation which reflects society,” he is quoted as saying in The Irish Examiner.

“I don’t want people who spit (at other people) playing our games or going to our games, we’d be better off without them,” he said.

O’Neill has vowed to tackle the problem, with sanctions imposed on those found guilty of any spitting allegations.

“I abhor spitting, and we will do whatever we can to eradicate it, we have had a couple of instances where it has happened, and we won’t stand for it. If allegations are proved, I’d hope that we’d deal with them as quickly as possible and give the correct penalty, there’s absolutely no excuse for it.”

We hope that penalty is severe enough to deter others from what is one of the lowest acts on a GAA pitch, or anywhere else for that matter.