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Dressing Rooms To Remain Closed For County Finals In Westmeath

Wednesday, 3 November 2021 12:53

By Robbie Fahy X @RobbieFahy

They have been open at recent fixtures in both Laois and Offaly.

The dressing rooms in TEG Cusack Park in Mullingar will remain closed for the upcoming county finals in both codes. 

The county board say it would be un-reasonable for officials to ask players about their vaccination status in order to gain entry. 

In a statement, Westmeath GAA say that all players and team officials have responded positively to the circumstances that have existed during the 2020 and 2021 championships.

Their counterparts in Offaly and Laois have mandated the use of the changing facilities, implementing the guidance issued by the GAA in line with the government's easing of restrictions on October 22nd. 

The offical GAA stance on changing room use is:

  •  In the South, where all individuals are vaccinated the full use of showers and changing rooms is permitted. However it is advised that time spent in dressing rooms or showers should be kept to a minimum and that where possible, pre-game or half time team talks should take place outdoors.
  • Where individuals have mixed immunity status the use of Dressing Rooms and Showers should remain pod based (with usage in groups of no more than 6 at any time).

With the senior football final not slated to take place until November 14th, a repeat of the weather for last weekend's senior football semi-finals or a further deterioration would most definitely raise the issue of changing facilities once more.

Westmeath's statement in full issued to Midlands103 this morning: 

Westmeath GAA acknowledge the fact that Dressing Rooms may be open for those who are vaccinated or in pods of six where this is mixed immunity status.

However, the decision has been taken to keep dressing rooms closed as it is considered unreasonable for club and county officials to have to demand sight of vaccination certificates of players prior to entry to the dressing room area, and it would be particularly unfair on those who are not vaccinated to remain outside while their team-mates gain entry.

Further, all players and team officials have responded positively to the circumstances that have existed for the 2020 and 2021 championship seasons when dressing rooms were unavailable and the same arrangements will be in place for the upcoming finals. 

The outstanding work and co-operation of club players and officials over the past 18 months is acknowledged and we hope that, as the final couple of weekends of the year play out in the same way, we can look forward to 2022 with a degree of optimism for return to normality.

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