News

New Respect Initiative

November 8, 2018

New Repect Initiative

The GAA has unveiled a new Respect Initiative aimed at fostering a new approach of fair play, mutual respect and goodwill to Gaelic football and hurling across all grades.

The scheme, which has been piloted in a number of counties to date, will be rolled out nationally amongst all units, at Under-12 level, in the coming months.

A specific programme has been devised with clearly defined roles of responsibility for all of the key participants in our games including players, coaches, parents/guardians, managers and match officials.

Key aspects of the programme include:
• The full implementation of the GAA Code of Best Practice
• Club Information Evenings
• Coach and Referee Education Programmes
• Designated Spectator Areas at Club games – including juvenile matches
• Adoption of GAA Go Games Policy
• National Marketing Programme
• Recognition and Merit Awards

GAA president Críostóir Ó Cuana lent his support to what he described as one of the most important initiatives the GAA will launch this year.

He said: “We will have many significant announcements to make over the course of 2010 but few will surpass todays in terms of importance and the potential for positive change to our games and the environment they are played in.

“We all have a role to play in this and it begins at underage level in our clubs where parents gather to watch and support their children.

“We are realistic enough to know that this is something that we can’t tackle overnight.

‘However, that doesn’t mean that we can’t make a difference from today and I believe that this programme will make a real and meaningful difference on the field of play and along the sidelines where respect for ourselves and everyone else involved in our games is of paramount importance.”

The GAA also announced details of a Fair Play Index which will see Fair Play League Tables produced over the duration of this year’s Allianz National Leagues.

Teams with the least amount of red and yellow cards will be positioned in the higher reaches of the table and an award will be made at the end of the competition to the team or teams with the least amount of disciplinary transgressions.

 
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