Former Captain Criticizes GAA Over Allianz Sponsorship
Peter Canavan, former All Ireland-winning captain, has accused the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) of suppressing discussion regarding its sponsorship agreement with Allianz.
The GAA's annual congress at Croke Park on Saturday was interrupted by a protest urging the association to sever its ties with the German insurance company.
Calls to end the 30-year partnership with Allianz intensified following a report by a United Nations special rapporteur last year, which alleged that Allianz profited from Israeli military operations in Gaza.
Canavan, a former Tyrone all-star and participant in the protest outside Croke Park, expressed that the sponsorship deal deserved to be openly debated at the congress.
"As a former player I was more than happy to be there to voice my disapproval of the sponsorship.
We've an opportunity as an association to do the right thing.
If this sponsorship wasn't as huge in terms of the financial aspect, then I've no doubt that the GAA would have dropped it," he told Irish broadcaster RTÉ.
NI has sought a response from the GAA regarding Canavan's comments.
Concerns Over Handling of Sponsorship Issue
In December, the GAA decided to continue its partnership with Allianz after referring the matter to its ethics and integrity commission (EIC).
The sponsorship deal was notably absent from the 25 motions scheduled for discussion on the second day of the congress.
Canavan remarked on the sidelining of the issue, stating:
"The burning issue at the minute is this sponsorship, for many people they felt it was side-lined and put under the carpet.
The GAA palmed it off to the EIC, they should be big enough to make the decision themselves."
Following protesters' refusal to leave upon GAA president Jarlath Burns' request on Saturday, the congress was temporarily adjourned for lunch and resumed shortly after 14:00 GMT.
After proceedings resumed, Burns criticized the protesters, stating they had "crossed a line." He referenced an attack by the UVF unit known as the Glenanne Gang in his hometown of Silverbridge 50 years ago, saying he "didn't need any lessons on illegal occupation having grown up during the Troubles."
"I don't need any lectures or people shouting in my face about what it's like to go to bed at night fearful that somebody would barge into your bedroom and riddle you with bullets because that was my lived experience when I was young," he said.
Burns also noted that a friend of his was killed in that loyalist paramilitary attack.
Canavan described Burns' comparison as "strange."
"There were a lot of atrocities went on, and what kept us going was the GAA," he said.
"We had something to do, something to be part of, and for a lot of us it was the GAA that saved us. There's thousands of children that aren't getting that opportunity.
Jarlath is still sore from something that happened 50 years ago, and rightly so.
He mentioned that there were no convictions on those killings. That was 50 years ago. Why? Because so many people buried their head in the sand, and didn't want to know what was going on."
Regarding his role as an RTÉ pundit for the GAA National Leagues, which Allianz sponsors, Canavan stated:
"I'm employed to give my opinion on the game and that's what I'm doing. It may not go down well in some quarters but I'll say what I think."
GAA Director General Addresses Sponsorship Concerns
On Friday, GAA director general Tom Ryan spoke about the sponsorship issue.
"We need to bear in mind where our responsibilities begin and end as an organisation," Ryan said.
"We are motivated by the right things and we do want to do the right things and we are a force for good in communities, and all that is really important.
I know there are other issues in the world and they are actually more important issues than whether we play an All-Ireland final in August or July [one of the motions put forward to congress], there are a lot more important things to be considered.
But there are other organisations and other agencies society trusts in managing those issues. Those are the agencies with the expertise and the authority to take action in those areas, we don't."
