Leo Varadkar says behind closed doors GAA championships 'possible'
- Published
A record crowd of over 56,000 attended last year's All-Ireland Ladies Football Final at Croke Park
Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said this year's GAA Championships could be played behind closed doors because of the Covid-19 crisis.
On Friday, lockdown restrictions were extended until 18 May but some outdoor sporting activities including golf will resume in a limited way at that point.
A phased reopening of the country could see GAA returning from 20 July.
"There is a possibility of an All-Ireland championship played behind closed doors this year," said Varadkar.
Speaking in an interview with Irish broadcaster RTE's Late Late Show, he added that any such decision would be a matter for the GAA.
Last week, Varadkar announced that mass gatherings - including at sporting events - would not take place in the Republic of Ireland until after August.
According to the government roadmap announced on Friday, GAA and football teams will be allowed to resume activities from 20 July, but only where limitations are placed on the numbers of spectators and where social distancing can be maintained.
Close-contact sports such as rugby are being earmarked to resume in the following phase beginning on 10 August.
Championship wipeout would cost GAA 60m Euro
The GAA announced last month that its games would not resume until at least July and has been examining the viability of playing major games without spectators.
The coronavirus crisis has already put paid to the plan to stage an inaugural Tier Two Football Championship this season.
The GAA's communications director Alan Milton last week acknowledged that a return to the old, straight knockout format could be in the offing for the 2020 championship if indeed it did take place.
Milton added the GAA could alternatively opt for effectively a club-only return to action, given the lower crowds that would be involved.
The Croke Park official said a complete wipeout of this season's remaining inter-county action could cost the GAA up to 60m Euro, which would accrue from no gate receipts, broadcast revenues and sponsorship deals.
Despite the GAA being posed with challenges which Milton described as the "biggest the association has faced since the 1920", he insisted that financial concerns would not be a "driving factor" in any decisions on the championship.