A harmful drinking culture exists among intercounty GAA players, a new study has found, citing widespread excessive alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harms, and binge drinking.Drinking bans and the practice of binge drinking following long periods of abstinence were recurring themes in the feedback, with one player describing this as a culture of “full duck or no dinner”.
The authors of the study said the culture that exists in elite GAA was “of drinking to excess as opposed to in moderation”. “It was felt they create a culture of binge drinking when the ban lifted and can create mistrust amongst teammates and management,” the study noted. One player claimed professional athletes could “go for their few drinks” whenever they liked without any consequences. “When an amateur athlete who gives up his or her free time goes for a few drinks, they are blackened by the GAA community!” they added.