Paul Hopkins: Can we achieve the goal of a level playing pitch?

A WEEK can be a long time in politics, but within three days in the world of sport a lot can happen. Just three days after Katie Taylor bowed out after a lifetime of glorious achievement, Sports Minister Patrick O'Donovan was once again talking of a “realistic” timeframe for the merger of men's and women's Gaelic games associations after meeting leadership figures in the wake of the resignation of Mary McAleese from the steering group.

Misogyny would seem to have reared its ugly head again. Katie Taylor had no sooner left Croke Park than the news agenda abruptly moved to accusations and denials of misogyny over the integration plan that's now been left hanging by a thread. The former president described the GAA's stalling on the agreed timelines for integration as “almost like a betrayal of the women in our sporting cultures”.

She stepped down after an Integration Steering Group meeting at which the GAA's representatives said that the agreed 2027 deadline for amalgamation of the GAA with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) and the Camogie Association could not be met.

And it remains unclear what the new timeline will be, if any, despite a series of meetings between Gaelic games leadership and Mr O'Donovan.

GAA President Jarlath Burns denied the resignation of Dr McAleese had exposed a “crisis” in the plans for integration, but he acknowledged it marked a “setback”.

Back in June, McAleese had talked of the consequences if any of the three associations went against integration at their forthcoming special congresses this October. “If any of those congresses were to renege, then good luck to them in dealing with the public fall-out,” she warned. Three months later, her interview last week with Marie Crowe on RTÉ radio's Inside Sport was one of the most visceral public takedowns of the GAA and showed the depth of her despair and frustration for a movement to which she was clearly dedicated,

From claiming they had decided [integration] was not going to happen, to questioning their commitment to putting women in decision-making roles, to calling it a betrayal of women it was a right slap in their face.

Minister for Sport O'Donovan says they're not going to “get caught into timelines”. One wonders what the girls and women would make of that. The female players who get bounced around pitches because the LGFA have none of their own. Then there is their lack of any expenses.

According to McAleese, the GAA talked of a federation. This would not be full integration, but would be an under-handed way of keeping the three organisations separate under one 'umbrella'.

There is also the thorny issue of finance. The GAA's Jarlath Burns claims costs would double from €45m to €90m in any attempt to meet a level playing pitch when it comes to any semblance of equality and equity. Far-fetched figures of €1bn and €500m had been previously bandied around the room, money always being a reason for not getting things done.

The place of women within the GAA world is absolutely reflective of the place of women in Irish society. Back in the 1880s and the establishment of the GAA there were women everywhere, but they’re all around the sidelines or in the background. There is no suggestion that they should play. It didn’t seem to have dawned on anyone.

When he founded the Gaelic Athletic Association, Michael Cusack made huge play about the fact that the association would be open to “everyone”. That this was not for the rich, but it was also for the poor. Basically, if you wanted to play, you could play.

But his “everyone” was male.

Since roughly 2006 ladies’ Gaelic football has gone from strength to strength. The membership of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association (LGFA) had reached 100,000, big name brands are backing the sport, and the association earlier this year launched a three-year strategic plan to capitalise on the rising popularity of the game.

Mary McAleese's expose has shown up the ongoing tepid commitment to integration. The mealy-mouthed verbosity of the men in charge. Sure, it's only the young wans, they echo quietly. If it were not for the former president revealing what was happening behind the scenes, we would not now be asking questions about the commitment of the GAA to a timeline for integration. For equality.

Uncertainty should never become an excuse or a reason for inaction.