Jarlath Burns, the chairman of the GAA Players' Committee, has issued a letter to footballers and hurlers reminding them of the importance of impending drug testing. Specifically he warns of the dangers of dietary supplements, many of which are causing trouble for elite athletes across a range of sports.
Androstenedione, a substance contained in these supplements, is metabolising as nandrolone, one of the most common steroids in recent drug scandals such as those involving soccer players Edgar Davids of Juventus and Lazio's Fernando Couto.
At last weekend's Central Council meeting Burns expressed his concern that some counties hadn't even appointed a doping officer. "This is a problem because the area is quite complicated," he said yesterday, adding: "Players have to be responsible for what they put in their own body. This is what I articulated as urgently as I could at last week's meeting."
Testing, which is already conducted in Northern Ireland, is expected to come into force by next July and Burns is anxious that no player test positive due to ignorance of the regulations. The main focus of the control will be on steroids and players will not be tested for simple cold remedies.
"Players are worried that they could take a Lemsip before training and test positive but no one will be tested for these at training. Similarly if you've a doctor's prescription. But sometimes I'm asked what can you do if you test for nandrolone and - this is the urgency of the situation - the answer is nothing. We want to be pre-emptive here and make sure this doesn't happen.
"There is a certain grudging admiration for what players go through simply for the honour of representing their parish or their county. It's all we have. There's no other reason to play the games. Players play for that certain status, to be seen as a dedicated individual. If you test positive for steroids, all that is jeopardised and it's not as if a player can simply up and leave for another club or county."
For players who deliberately use steroids, there is just enough time to purge their systems before testing is introduced. It is estimated that two months will be sufficient to clear any traces. After that individuals run the risk of detection. Burns isn't sure about the extent of the problem within the GAA.
"I don't think it's widespread but I just don't know. When players are in the privacy of their own home and gyms, there's no sure way of knowing what they take."
The Longford-Louth Leinster SFC match in Navan this Sunday will begin at 3.45 p.m. rather than 3.30 p.m..
Brian McEvoy is unlikely to make Kilkenny's championship match with Offaly on June 10th.
McEvoy damaged his left shoulder during the All-Ireland semi-final win over Galway last year, and is still troubled by the injury. "I think I would five or six games behind me before playing in the championship" McEvoy explained. "There is not much chance of me getting that number of games behind me before we face Offaly".
WEXFORD (SF v Laois): O Murphy; C Morris, P Wallace, R Mageean; D Murphy, D Breen, L O'Brien; J Berry, W Carley; D Kinsella, T Howlin, R Barry; P Forde, M Mahon, J Hegarty. Subs: G Morris, C Sunderland, E Galavan, P Carley, I Wickham, D O'Connor, M Gahan, M Carley, G Barry.
KERRY (SH v Wicklow): J Healy; H Twomey, C Flaherty, I Brick; J McCarthy, J Wharton, WJ Leen; B O'Sullivan, Pat Cronin; Padraig Cronin, C Boyle, R Gentleman; M Slattery (capt), T Maunsell, JM Dooley. Subs: AN Other, M Murnane, I Maunsell, A Keane, S Harty, M Hanafin, C Harty, D Clifford.
WICKLOW (SH): C Byrne; A Lawlor, D Moran, MA O'Neill; MJ O'Brien, C O'Brien, J Collins; G Doran, J Murphy; D Curran, J O'Toole, G Murray; W O'Gorman, D Hyland, M Moran.
