Dublin players plan protest over Allianz sponsorship

Dublin footballers and hurlers are reportedly set to refuse to appear in front of Allianz-branded signage during the upcoming National Leagues.

Allianz has been listed in a report by UN special rapporteur on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanese, confirming their relationship with an Israeli weapon manufacturer.

Despite appeals from several county boards, and voiced disagreements from Dublin players, the GAA refused to cut its ties with the company.

The GAA's An Coiste Bainistíochta have held a meeting, where they discussed a report from the Ethics and Integrity Commission (EIC) on the issue. The statement by GAA president Jarlath Burns said:

"My number one priority is I'm accountable to the membership of the GAA and mitigating risk, and we just felt based on the findings of the Ethics and Integrity Commission, that the best course of action was to maintain our link with Allianz".

"Second thing we would have to do is to look for a new insurer, and in this modern world of quantum entanglement, it would be impossible to find a company that wouldn't have some sort of a sibling relationship going right back to that conflict", expressed Burns.

Around 800 GAA players and organisations signed a letter urging termination of the partnership. Counties including Tyrone, Fermanagh, Derry, Down, Antrim, Armagh, Leitrim, Roscommon, and Offaly all passed motions to have Allianz removed as a sponsor.

GAA players are known to have protested and carried out several demonstrations at inter-county games in recent seasons. Last year saw the skort controversy, where a number of camogie teams objected the enforcement of skort wearing by appearing in shorts at games.

The decision on the protest, if Dublin players proceed with it, would be a separate one for football and hurling teams, rather than a county agreement.

Dublin’s Division 1 football opener with Donegal is set to be broadcasted live on TG4 on Saturday, January 24.