Unionist politicians have reacted angrily to a decision by two GAA county boards to oppose the scrapping of Rule 21 which bans members of the British security forces from joining the association.
The Derry and Armagh county boards' vote against abolishing the controversial rule was described as a "terrible signal" to the unionist community by one DUP MLA, Mr Ian Paisley jnr.
"It is not just a slap in the face of the unionist community, but also of John Reid, the British government and the SDLP, who were all convinced that this offensive rule would be dropped in the wake of recent developments," he added.
Mr Paisley said there could be no justification for maintaining a rule which excluded a large section of the community from taking part in a sport.
It was also evidence that the SDLP was out of touch with its own community on the issue, he added.
"While the scrapping of Rule 21 would not be earth-shattering in itself, this decision makes it very clear that the GAA is not interested in any shape of normality.
"It also shows that the GAA's political analysis would be far more in line with Sinn FΘin and republican grassroots."
A Northern Ireland Unionist Party MLA, Mr Cedric Wilson, said it was "tragic" when sport and politics became rolled into one issue.
"Rule 21 has been a source of great annoyance and hurt for the unionist community. It shows the intransigence among parts of the nationalist community and certainly does not augur well for this bright new future we have been promised."
The Northern Ireland Workers' Party described the decision as a "backward step"