GAA:Footballers who refuse to wear a mouthguard in Gaelic Games from January 1st of next year will be sent off, the GAA confirmed this afternoon. All underage grades, up to and including minor, will be required to wear a mouthguard during matches with the regulation coming in for adults 12 months later.
Although referees won’t be required to do a pre-match check to ensure players are wearing the mouthguards, If they notice someone isn’t wearing one, the “offender” is to be cautioned and, if he or she persists, is to be sent off.
“I think the importance of the initiative is signified by the fact that 98 per cent of delegates voted in favour of the proposal to make mouthguards compulsory at this year’s Annual Congress,” GAA president Liam Ó Néill said today. “The player is the most important thing; I think that any initiative that creates a safer playing environment for our players will contribute to increased participation in our games.
“The enforcement of this rule change is another indication that the Association is taking a proactive approach to player welfare.”