Gymnastics Ireland backs call for High-Performance 'Return to Sport'

The Olympic Federation of Ireland (OFI) today called for a number of straightforward measures to be put in place to support high-performance (HP) athletes during the current crisis. Sport Ireland (SI), the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport (DTTAS) and the relevant Ministers have all been working very hard to request minor exemptions for athletes but unfortunately there has been no green light to their requests to date.

Commenting on the call from the OFI today Ciaran Gallagher, Gymnastics Ireland CEO, had the following to say...

'Gymnastics Ireland has been involved from the outset of the Covid-19 crisis in making various submissions to government regarding a return to sport (RTS) in partnership with SI, DTTAS, the OFI, the Federation of Irish Sport (FIS) and our friends in the wider sport community. Part of the ask has always been around the RTS of our high-performance gymnasts. When the government 'Roadmap to reopening Society & Business' was published we, along with the rest of the sports sector, were pleased to see that sport had been given due consideration and it was clear phases 3-5 were relevant to gymnastics as an indoor sport.

We did however note that there was no specific provision for HP sport to return earlier and along with our sector partners renewed the request through SI and the DTTAS Covid-19 Sport Task Group. We, along with the rest of the Olympic sport community, believe an earlier return to high performance sport operating under strict health and safety protocols is achievable. We urge that the government again consider this request and make provisions similar to what we are seeing in various other countries.

While we wait in hope for positive news for our HP gymnasts Gymnastics Ireland continues to work behind the scenes with our club network re our wider RTS planning for phases 3-5.'