GAA president Seán McCague yesterday described the decision to include Croke Park as part of the Irish and Scottish joint-bid for the Euro 2008 soccer championship as "flawed". McCague was responding to fresh speculation on the use of Croke Park, which suggested that soccer and rugby could be played at the GAA headquarters within the next two years.

McCague said the decision to include Croke Park as part of the Irish bid was flawed on the basis that no commitment can be given that the stadium will be made available for the tournament.

McCague reaffirmed the GAA's position in that a change of rule or policy regarding the use of Croke Park requires a decision of Congress - representative of all 32 counties and units abroad. Neither the president, the Management Committee nor Central Council have the authority to change the relevant rule which currently bans other sports from GAA grounds.

The GAA also stated that suggestions from unattributed sources in certain areas of the media that Croke Park will be made available for soccer and rugby games in the next few years, are "unfounded and mischievous".

McCague pointed out that the FAI have stated they consider Croke Park unsuitable for soccer games because of scale and associated atmosphere. McCague also pointed out that the bid for the 2008 European Championship was made without any consultation with the GAA and the solution to any problems that might arise lay solely with those who initiated the bid and supported it.

He also cautioned that "if the bid was successful on the tenuous basis that Croke Park would be available, there could be serious disappointment and embarrassment for the FAI and the supporters of the bid at a later stage."

The FAI, who were unavailable for comment last night, are still banking on the building of the proposed Stadium Ireland at Abbotstown as the key to a successful joint-bid - a final decision on which is to be made by UEFA in December.

In the meantime, members of the UEFA competitions' committee will be in Dublin next month for a review of three possible venues in Dublin - Croke Park, Lansdowne Road, and the proposed Stadium Ireland. On the same weekend, September 16th, the Government is due to announce the final decision on the scale and site of Stadium Ireland.

The GAA also responded yesterday to criticism over making Navan the venue for this Sunday's All-Ireland football quarter-final replay between Armagh and Sligo.

According to a statement from Croke Park, there was no question of downgrading either Sligo or Armagh by scheduling the replay for Navan: "The reality is that the combined number of tickets sold by Sligo and Armagh for the drawn game in Croke Park was 23,000," they said.

"Navan can accommodate 29,000 people. Because of the demand and the expected attendance for the Donegal against Dublin replay, there was no feasible alternative to Croke Park for this fixture. Also, it would not be acceptable by the various authorities to play a double bill on Saturday in Croke Park, because of traffic management considerations."