The Central Council of the GAA last night warned its players to resist any approaches from agents or companies that might endanger their amateur status.
And GAA President Jack Boothman is to set up a sub-committee to review the Association’s existing rules and regulations on amateur status within the next two weeks.
Despite the flurry of activity in recent months which has seen several sports agencies swooping to sign top players on lucrative contracts, Boothman last night insisted the review was a routine matter.
“In every President’s term a review of all existing policies is carried out at some stage,” he said.
“It is an on-going thing to review the amateur status of the association and as my term ends in April I have decided to hold the review now.
“We are merely keeping abreast of the times we’re living in and we have to recognise the pressures our top players are under.”
Hurlers from Wexford and Limerick, as well as top footballers from Dublin, Cork and Kerry, have all been linked with professional agencies in recent years.
However the President acknowledged that with more and more players receiving money for guest appearances, interviews and video recordings it may prove difficult to stamp out the growing professional ethos within the game.
The prospect of full-time professional players within the GAA however was ruled out by Boothman.
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PRINCE Naseem Hamed wants to fight Belfast fighter Paul Ireland.
The WBO featherweight champion had requested the attention of the Belfast battler after recognising the need to answer the critics about the lack of firepower in opponents bidding to take his title.
Naseem sees Ireland as the up and coming, and most talked about, featherweight in Barry Hearn’s Matchroom stable. Ireland himself says “no sweat.”
“The news that Naseem wanted me to challenge him for his belt came through my management.
“I couldn’t believe it at first, but there is no chance I would fight him right now.
“If Naseem wants to defend the title against me I think he has several reasons for picking me, but it won’t happen until I have another seven to 10 fights under my belt,” said Ireland.
Matched yesterday with Englishman Robert Braddock for the Ulster Hall Fight Night bill on November 5, Paul Ireland is currently 11th in the British featherweight rankings with Matchroom’s second best record.
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QUEEN’S got off to a good start in the revamped Higher Education camogie league with a 10-12 to 2-0 victory over Maynooth.
Freshers Jennifer Braniff and Glenda Fitzpatrick emerged top scorers and there were also good performances from captain Elaine Dowds and Armagh’s Donna McCusker.
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KEN Doherty refused to allow a dose of Bangkok belly to prevent him helping the Republic of Ireland to an opening victory in the Castrol-Honda World Cup yesterday.
The Irish captain won two of his three frames as the Group A joint favourites defeated New Zealand 6-3.
“I picked up a bug yesterday,” revealed Doherty. “It must be something I ate or drank because my mate Finbar was suffering as well.
“The main problem was I only got a couple of hours sleep. I should have played first but I didn’t feel up to it.”
