When a person tests positive for Covid-19 in Ireland, they will be asked by a contact tracing team to identify those they have come into contact with, and to what extent that contact amounted to.
Ever since we’ve gathered our bearings on the subject, the GAA has been classed as a casual contact activity. Unlike close contacts, casual contacts of Covid cases do not have to isolate and do not have to restrict their movements.
Clare were down two men for their game against Laois on Sunday, with two of their players having been identified by infected Wexford players as close contacts.
Seeing as this was contrary to the protocols that have been understood and implemented by GAA teams all over the country since this pandemic took hold, it’s hardly any surprise that Brian Lohan was demanding answers when he was speaking on The Sunday Game after his county’s victory over Laois.
“We were contacted by the HSE to say that two of the Wexford players had nominated two of our players as close contacts,” explained Lohan.
“That was unusual for us because any of the protocols that we do are aimed to make sure that all contacts are casual contacts rather than close contacts.
“In one instance in particular, where a substitute came on for Wexford, he named one of our players as a close contact so I find it very unusual that that would be the case.”
“I don’t think that we have to learn anything from it, we follow the rules, whatever the rules are. Certainly there was a whole lot of anger amongst our set-up as a result of what happened.”
"Certainly there was a whole lot of anger amongst our set-up"
Clare manager Brian Lohan speaks about the circumstances that led to two of his players being unavailable for selection after being deemed "close contacts" of Wexford players: https://t.co/lqMuWaG9Hu #RTEGAA pic.twitter.com/bjCFKmXAax
— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) May 23, 2021
As it turned out, one of the Clare players returned a negative test while the other waits on his result. Their absence didn’t impact on the result of the game, as a Shane O’Donnell inspired Banner picked up their first win of the League but it’s the principles and the precedence that matter here. Two players were forced to miss a game which they had no reason to miss.
And at this stage, it certainly looks like Wexford are the ones with questions to answer.
