There are GAA teams being looked after better.
Funnily enough, one of the greatest female sides this country has ever produced had to go through something similar than what the Irish women’s soccer team currently faces.
All of 14 years ago, the ladies of Cork stood up and stood together in search of better – and bloody fairer – treatment and it’s safe to say that them and the county reaped the rewards in the aftermath.
In light of Irish soccer team speaking up, here's the letter the Cork ladies footballers wrote 14 years ago…11 All-Irelands later! #irlwnt pic.twitter.com/KTii2hStGf
— Mary White (She/Her) (@mary_white33) April 4, 2017
On Tuesday, the athletes that give up their nights and weekends to represent us as a country brought some glaring issues to light.
The Ireland women’s national team delivered a shocking press conference after failing to be satisfied by the FAI over a number of things which most sportspeople probably take for granted now.
- Access to a nutritionist
- Gym membership
- Hotel accommodation
- Apparel for training
- Match fees
Issues the WNT want addressed pic.twitter.com/SbBEALqlFC
— Marie Crowe (@mariecrowe) April 4, 2017
It’s depressing that these things aren’t just a given when you get selected to play for Ireland and when you go through all the work and travel they do for their country.
Thankfully, not everyone is willing to sit by and just watch this happen.
In Donegal, Gareth Britton, the owner of Briga Sports can’t let one of his national teams go mistreated and he wants to step in and help.
The teamwear company which designs and supplies training gear and equipment have stepped in to help out and they’re offering to make and deliver tracksuits and training tops to the women of the Republic of Ireland football team.
“We saw the news last night and thought, Jesus, we don’t want to see the women left in the lurch,” Britton, Briga Sports‘ owner, told SportsJOE.
“We wouldn’t want to see any Irish team in this situation – be it hockey or volleyball or whatever.
“I was chatting to someone this morning who was saying that there are county GAA teams getting looked after better and that’s an amateur sport.”
Briga Sports are just looking for the right person to talk to so they can get this done if the footballers want it done.
“If they’re willing to wear them and accept the offer, we’ll get a nice tracksuit and training jersey done up for the whole lot of them, no problem at all.
“The offer is there, it’s a genuine offer. We don’t really know how to reach out to them directly but we’d be happy to supply them with their tracksuits and leisurewear, definitely.”
It’s a shame that the Irish women’s team would have to depend on that sort of generosity from a business in Donegal to get something like a tracksuit but at least there are people out there who do care and who do respect what these people are doing for the country.
@SportsJOEdotie Briga will be delighted to support the Irish Ladies Team & supply them with tracksuits if the FAI can not .#respect #irlwnt
— BrigaSports (@BrigaSports) April 5, 2017
