A very worrying report was aired on Morning Ireland this morning that hinted at a gambling crisis inside GAA dressing rooms. The likes of Oisin McConville and Niall McNamee have shared their experiences with gambling addiction in recent years, but still there is still the feeling that the GAA is not doing enough to curb gambling.
Today on RTE, Darren Frehill produced an interview with an unnamed former intercounty player whose gambling addiction drove him to bet against his own county.
An inter-county GAA player with a gambling addiction bet against his own team. He spoke to @Darrenfrehill.https://t.co/vg9ASjfPXi
— Morning Ireland (@morningireland) May 12, 2016
The player in question bet against his own team in a National League game and says the bet came in. He was a sub at the time and says he had no bearing on the final result. The anonymous player called it 'a shameful act'.
He says he received treatment for gambling addiction and the incident helped him ultimately overcome his problem.
He adds that gambling is 'rampant' in dressing rooms.
Betting against your own team is one of the most grave crimes an athlete can commit. In America, Pete Rose, one of baseball's all-time greats, was banned from the sport for betting against the Cincinnati Reds while he was their manager.
Frehill said there would be a follow up to the report on the RTE News this evening.
