The Gaelic Players Association and Rugby Players Ireland have created a significant milestone in the Irish sporting landscape with today’s formation of the Irish Athletes Alliance, a pioneering initiative aimed at championing the rights, well-being, and professional development of elite Irish athletes.
They are joined in the collaboration by the Irish Jockeys Association and the Professional Footballers’ Association of Ireland.
The purpose of the Irish Athletes Alliance is to serve as a voice and as a catalyst for positive change within Ireland’s high-performance sporting community.
Aligned with a collective vision to safeguard the interests of Irish athletes, the Irish Athletes Alliance’s first undertaking will be in the engagement of the government to advocate for the development of policies that will ensure all athletes on elite-level pathways receive cardiac screening.
“Traditionally, Irish sports have tended to forge their own way,” said Simon Keogh, CEO of Rugby Players Ireland.
“However, as each sport has grown, so too has our recognition of shared challenges and opportunities.”
“By pooling our resources, knowledge, and experiences, the Irish Athletes Alliance can further harness Ireland’s vast sporting potential by working together to ensure our athletes have the support and resources they need to thrive.”
“The GPA are delighted to be a founding member of the Irish Athletes Alliance as it is our strongly held view that elite athletes across all sports face similar challenges and by pooling our collective knowledge and influence we can have a greater positive impact on their behalf,” added Tom Parsons, CEO of the Gaelic Players Association.
“Our first step in tandem will be to lobby for compulsory cardiac screening for elite athletes. It is timely that this is a key focus given tomorrow sees the launch of the Dillon Quirke Foundation in memory of the Tipperary hurler and GPA member.”
“Every elite athlete should have support and representation with their best interests at heart, and the collaboration between alliance members can help in the drive to provide this environment,” said Stephen McGuinness of the PFAI.
“Working together we can ensure that the voice of elite athletes is at the centre of key decisions by all stakeholders in the sports sector. It is imperative that all our elite athletes have the same rights and opportunities as they strive to be the best they can be in their chosen sport.”
“We look forward to working with them on matters of common interest to benefit the welfare of our members,” concluded Andrew Coonan, Executive Secretary of the Irish Jockeys Association.
“Dialogue and finding common ground can only be good for all involved.”
Sport for Business Perspective:
Collaboration is vitally important in sport and in the way in which sport can best state its case.
Shared campaigns and a single voice to advocate for sporting stars across multiple codes can only be a good thing so long as it is carried through at every level and that one voice holds good for all.
Each of the bodies will continue to be the one for their members but where there is a shared interest now, and cardiac screening is a great place to start, this can only be good for all the members.
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