DIRECTOR GENERAL TOM Ryan says the GAA accept responsibility for the failure to complete club championships in 2020, a decision that \u201cweighed heavily\u201d on him.<\/p>\n
11 senior county finals have yet to be played after club action was suspended in October following a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases nationwide.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Writing in the GAA\u2019s 2020 annual report, Ryan said \u201cit is a matter of real regret that we didn\u2019t manage to finish the championships in every county.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cI regret also that this was largely our own fault,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cFaced with the health risk and reputational damage from a number of high-profile post-match events we had no alternative but to suspend the games in the remaining counties.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat day, and that decision weighed heavily on me.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur job is to promote games, not to stop them, but there was a greater imperative that we couldn\u2019t shy away from. I sincerely hope those championships can be concluded.<\/p>\n
He said the decision was \u201ca regrettable blight on an otherwise excellent programme of games.\u201d Remarking on competitions that did not proceed at all, such as second level schools and club All-Irelands, Ryan said \u201cit was a summer of hard choices.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The Carlow native also thanked the government for their financial support in allowing the inter-county championships take place in the winter.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately, after the year we had endured, and with no prospect of attendance revenues, the Association was in no position to fund such an undertaking.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe government stepped in to underwrite the championship and it is to their credit that we all enjoyed such great games as winter closed in.<\/p>\n
\u201cGAA members and supporters everywhere greatly appreciated this unprecedented support at a time when we all needed it most.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added, \u201cour financial losses were still unprecedented, but government supporters mitigated those losses significantly.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThe timely introduction of the various employment support measures made it possible for us to keep our staff in employment.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n