Recent events could lead one to despair - or worse. There have been so many challenges to the code of sporting decencies in recent times and there is little sign of a let-up.

Who could possibly have thought the Olympic Games, of all things, could be so corrupt? Who would have considered the possibility of a Triple Crown without England? Who could have believed that tennis was, according to Jim Courier, awash with drugs? Who, for that matter, would have considered that a proud county like Cavan would tear itself to bits and attack the credibility of a man of such talent, charm and decency as Liam Austin? Who, indeed, could believe that a Ryder Cup match in Ireland could be given to an inland course?

It has been a sad time for sport without any doubt. Even cricket has not escaped with a young man from Sri Lanka, Muttiah Muralathiran, being heckled and booed by so-called cricket supporters because he has been accused, but not convicted, of an illegal arm movement in his bowling.

Even closer to home, the innate decency and honesty of Steve Collins has been impugned because he wants to resume his career against a man who has been described as the best light-heavyweight in the world - Roy Jones. For a man who never fought outside of his own backyard that is a very extraordinary claim.

Collins took himself off to Boston in his youth and established a credible reputation for himself there. He fought two of the best boxers at his weight (Mike McCallum and Reggie Johnson) and was narrowly defeated by both. McCallum, in the presence and hearing of this writer, vowed that he would not "under any circumstances" expose himself to the excellence of Steve Collins again; nor did he! Unhappy with the way his career was being handled at that time, Collins returned to Europe and took on the best here, beating both Chris Eubank (twice) and Nigel Benn (twice) and others also.

Now he appears to be written off by elements within his own country who seldom if ever saw him box or even spoke to him face to face. What a state sport has reached?

There is one bright light at the end of this gloomy tunnel - the GAA and its determination to remain an amateur sport. There are some who would turn out the light but there are also those who would keep the lamp burning brightly and who will continue to replenish its oil. These latter are the salt of sport's earth who have not sought, nor demanded, nor expected financial rewards. Some rather worrying things have taken place in recent years within the GAA when players, supporters' clubs and sponsors have, at times, threatened to interfere with the democratic processes within the GAA. So far, these influences have not made too many inroads, although there is a growing clamour for the payment of players, sometimes from players no longer involved in the playing or promoting of games.

This observer was told recently of the case of a prominent player who went to the trouble of travelling to Spain with his team so as to collect the £400 spending money which had been agreed for all who travelled. On his arrival he insisted that he was unfit to play and had his return date changed to the following day in order to resume his self-employed job, having pocketed the £400. What has happened in rugby within the past couple of weeks should make all of those within the GAA wary of the "professional" culture which has come so close to destroying that sport. The row which developed between the greedy and self-centred English Rugby Football Union and its long-time friends in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France had nothing to do with the game of rugby. It was all about money.

These people in English rugby were the same people who sent a third-string team to Australia not long ago and who not only lost heavily, but insulted the dignity of Australian rugby. Once again the bottom line was money.

These are the people who would attempt to dictate to those in Scotland, Wales, France and Ireland - the countries which have kept rugby at the forefront of European sport for more than a century.

For the moment, at least, English greed has been set aside. There is no guarantee that it will not surface again. We must all be vigilant if these malign forces are not to prevail.

And now we have the situation with the Olympic Games and the bribery scandals which have also surfaced recently. Here we have a situation in which the International Olympic Council (IOC), set up with the highest and most honourable aims in mind, has disgraced itself. It matters not who did or who did not take bribes. The entire council has been exposed to a disgrace which it brought upon itself.

No amount of blood-letting will set aside the damage which has been done.

That is why the GAA must distance itself from any taint of paying players to play. Treat them well, treat them generously at all levels of course, but on no account institute a system of direct payment. A very close eye must also be kept on how team managers and others are appointed and rewarded. There is far too much of a blind eye being turned to these matters and the GAA has not, as yet, come to terms with this situation. In the GAA we have the most vibrant, most successful and most honourable organisation in this country. Nothing should be done which might undermine its genuine integrity.

The GAA has, often and rightly, been accused of being conservative and backward. In many ways it has leaped well ahead of its rivals in recent times. What it must guard against is the development of a mind-set which would dictate that what is acceptable in other sports is also acceptable within the GAA. That could be a fatal mistake.