Mandatory charter imminent for camogie and women's football players

The Gaelic Players Association is in the final stages of preparing a mandatory squad charter for female players with the Camogie and Ladies Gaelic Football associations.

The GPA says that a significant uplift in investment will deliver fair standards of welfare and care for female players across all teams.

The charter will be funded through the two national governing bodies who have secured the support of the GAA in this matter.

All elements of the charter will be communicated to county boards and it's expected that the model for reimbursement of mileage will be complete in the coming weeks.

It’s the first time an agreed mandatory charter has been delivered for inter-county female players, and the first time that the Camogie Association and LGFA will make a contribution towards direct mileage expenses for these athletes.

The GAA will also help fund the expenses.

In a note to members this evening, the GPA said the progress followed "the collective stance" undertaken by female players last year which saw women's football and camogie teams stage sit-down protests, leave the field briefly after the national anthem, wear t-shirts with the #UnitedForEquality slogan emblazoned on them and refuse to participate in media events run by the two bodies.

"In the three years since the merger of the GPA and WGPA, significant progress has been made," the GPA note to members said.

"We’ve witnessed equalisation of government funding, the establishment of our first centrally funded charter by the NGBs and a pathway to integration.

"These milestones mark significant steps toward achieving equal recognition, investment and opportunity for female players."

The players body said it would now turn its attention to implementation of the charter and