As a very young kid, this writer can remember being asked whether he wanted to attend the 1993 All-Ireland hurling final between Kilkenny and Galway. He wasn't yet interested enough in sport and so demurred (though can remember the feeling of regret when his father and uncle headed off to the game).
He would have gotten in too, for 1993 was the final year in which the old Cusack Stand still stood. There was a general understanding that kids under the age of 12 could be lifted over the turnstiles.
It all seems very quaint in the era of the shiny new Croke Park. And in the Nou Camp, they have left such charming days far behind.
Barcelona fan Roso Castellsagues turned up at the Nou Camp for the Super Cup tie against Athletic Bilbao, accompanied by five friends and her ten month old baby.
The baby's gender has not been disclosed so we will sensitively refer to it as 'it'.
The section of the ground for which she and her friends had a ticket was sold out. The officials at the ground were unhappy with the fact that the baby hadn't purchased a ticket in advance. Roso was informed that she would have to buy a ticket for the baby in another part of the ground. The ticket would cost her €54 - the standard rate. Because babies are scroungers, it didn't have the money to stump up for the ticket.
To show her how reasonable they were, they allowed the baby into the same section as Roso, provided it sat on her lap, which it was no doubt planning to do anyway.
An outraged Roso wrote to the newspaper 'El Periodico del Catalunya' with her tale.
However, it transpires that Barcelona have already addressed the matter in a press release two years ago. Under-7s will not be admitted without a match ticket or season ticket.
To comply with current regulations and to avoid the risk of exceeding capacity, children up to seven, who until now could access the stadium without a ticket as long as they were accompanied by an adult, will also need to have a seat to attend Barça v Madrid
Toni Freixa announced: “It’s an unpopular decision, but we’re taking this decision as an exercise in responsibility. We prefer to take pre-emptive measures before regretting any misfortunes”.
As far as future matches in the Camp Nou are concerned, the Board secretary and spokesman explained. “The Club will study, within the legal framework and in consultation with the Interior Ministry, a way so that children can keep on coming”.
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