GAA: The Gaelic Players Association (GPA) will be encouraging inter-county teams to follow the example of the Dublin footballers and not allow team photographs prior to games.

Tommy Lyons' side did not pose for a team photograph before their opening National Football League game at Croke Park on Sunday, and opponents Armagh followed suit. It was suggested afterwards Dublin intended issuing an official team photograph ahead of this summer's championship, the use of which would thereafter require a fee.

Yesterday, GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell said Dublin's action should be seen in the context of the growing concern over the issue of image rights. "We'd been encouraging that kind of action for a while now," he said. "But this is definitely not some sort of protest. It is purely to benefit the players and the county boards.

"What we want to do is to curtail all the rogue traders out there, who are profiteering on the backs of the players. It should be done through the county board, not to make a killing, but simply to stop a significant loss of revenue for the players."

According to Dublin County Board chairman John Bailey, however, there have been no official discussions about the use of team photographs.

"To be totally honest, the first I heard about this was in the newspapers," he said yesterday. "At the time on Sunday I was in the dressing-room with the Dublin hurlers, and I certainly wasn't aware the footballers wouldn't be standing for their photographs.

"But I will be investigating this. I want to know exactly what is going on and then report back to the County Board before anything is approved."

Bailey was also quick to point out not one Dublin player "needed to raise a finger" when it came to raising funds for this year's team holiday: "There was full support this year from a fund-raising lunch, from the county board, and from our sponsors."

The GPA have already held several discussions on image rights, and Farrell admitted it was one of the big talking points at the association's a.g.m., in Dublin last Saturday week.

"Of course, the issue of image rights is still in its infancy, and at times it's going to be difficult to enforce, but it is set to get bigger. We would envisage a situation, for example, where there is one official team photograph taken at the start of the championship, or at the stage when the panel has been finalised. Anyone who wants to use that photograph will then have to pay a fee."

Croke Park responded to the issue by saying it had "always been GAA practice rather than policy" to pose for a team photograph prior to a game.

"We have always encouraged co-operation with the media as much as possible," said the association's press officer, Danny Lynch.

"Obviously, in the modern age it is not an option to dictate or impose on anyone to have to sit for a photograph. But it has been said many times that the minimum co-operation with the media should be a team photograph."

Farrell pointed to the example in English football, where the PFA get a 10 per cent cut on the sale of TV rights. All members of the GPA have assigned their image rights to the association, so the GPA holds the legal rights to the images and likenesses of the players in commercial matters.

While Farrell said the GPA had no plans to deny access to players or teams in any other way (such as refusing TV or print interviews), it is clear the association is intent on embarking on a more pro-active commercial strategy.

However, following Sunday's game, the Armagh team indicated that in future they would allow team photographs, and that they had merely followed Dublin's example on the day.

"What Armagh said afterwards was disappointing," said Farrell, "and I think they missed the point.

"As All-Ireland champions they should see the benefit that something like this could have for their players and to help stop the merry-go-round that is attached to team photographs, where they're appearing on everything from clocks to posters to bits of crystal."

Donal O'Neill, one of the GPA's founders, said during last month's a.g.m. that Croke Park had failed to adequately represent the players on image rights issues.

There could also be implications for the GAA's main sponsors, such as Guinness, Bank of Ireland, and Allianz.

However, under current arrangements, Farrell suggested these sponsors would have access to player photographs.