Sport Ireland chief Treacy admits return of contact sports ‘a lot trickier’

Sport Ireland chief executive John Treacy has admitted the reintroduction of contact sports will "be a lot trickier" when it comes to any Government ease on restrictions around Covid-19.

Speaking at a press briefing alongside Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to launch the Government's new wellbeing initiative In This Together, Treacy also stated that all such measures around sport will ultimately be guided by the Government advice; non-contact sports such as golf, done outdoors and with a lot of physical distancing, will be immediate priority.

“We all want to be back in action as soon as we possibly can,” said Treacy, “but we’re absolutely going to take our guidance from Government, in terms of when the restrictions are going to be lifted.

“Sport is planning for that day, and we’ve provided some material into our own Department, around some sports, non-contact, done outdoors and with a lot of physical distancing, and they’ll obviously be the priority.

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“But it’s up to the Government to give the green light, and I think it will be a lot trickier for some of the contact sports. We’ll just have to monitor that very carefully, whatever guidance from Government, but sport is planning for the day when things can resume.”

The In This Together campaign encourages everyone to pick a new activity which could help them to feel a little healthier or a little better in the face Covid-19.