Labour MEP: GAA should adapt soccer mentality over homphobia

on 27/08/2012 18:02:07

The GAA is being criticised for not doing enough to protect players who are gay following an admission at the weekend by Cork hurler Donal Óg Cusack that he was verbally abused during matches.

The inter-county player says people with megaphones were shouting homophobic and slanderous insults at him while he was playing.

Labour MEP for Munster Phil Prendergast says it was strange that the GAA allowed this to continue.

She's told Cork's RedFM the organisation needs to tackle the issue: "They need to start examining the possibility of adapting soccer style laws to combat this type of hooliganism, such as the use of CCTV.

"They need to identify people that think it's OK to shout this kind of abuse and worse at people who they would not term as normal.

"Somebody playing sport should be allowed to do so regardless of their orientation."

Cusack recently launched the Foyle Pride Festival 2012 in Derry with a 15 minute speech.