Lowlifes
Name and shame. It should be as simple as that, but we doubt very much that anyone is going to demand that players reveal the disgusting things that are said to opponents during the course of GAA games anytime soon.
The issue of ‘sledging’ was raised last week during the Donegal – Tyrone senior Ulster championship clash, and now the Donegal minor manager is threatening to quit his role unless the behaviour stops.
Former All-Ireland winner Declan Bonner feels that the culture of intimidating opponents through verbal abuse has gone too far, after an incident involving one of his players in last week’s Ulster clash against Tyrone.
It’s alleged that two Tyrone players targeted Donegal minor captain Michael Carroll, who lost his father Francie to cancer last year, with what Bonner has described as of ‘some of the worst verbal abuse you could imagine.’
Bonner,who writes a column for the Donegal News revealed that he is sickened by the behaviour and is questioning his involvement with the team,
‘If this is what is going to happen in games, then I don’t want to be a part of it. I would rather walk away than be involved in something that has become so toxic.’
‘Sledging is part and parcel of the game now, but there are certain boundaries that should not be crossed. This whole thing has gone to a new level and in our minor game against Tyrone on Sunday, those boundaries were crossed to sickening levels.’
Bonner’s comments come after former senior star Brendan Devenney revealed in the Examiner earlier today that he feels that players are being instructed to harass their opponents by management
‘It is completely getting out of hand. The stuff that certain players used to be at, were famous for, the stuff that old men in the crowd loved to see, now a lot of players are at it. Donegal are at it.’
‘Players aren’t just deciding to taunt their players, I feel they are being instructed by management.’
Verbal abuse is punishable by a black card but none were handed out in either the minor or senior games in Ballybofey last weekend despite several reports of such behaviour.
