AN INVESTIGATION INTO racist abuse directed at Wexford hurling captain Lee Chin has commenced, according to the chair of the county’s GAA board.
An individual on the sideline started shouting racist language at Chin during a match against Tipperary on Saturday, according to a video of the incident.
Video footage shows several Wexford players approaching the individual and angrily confronting him.
Micheál Martin, the chair of Wexford GAA county board, told RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today that he was “saddened” at the incident but “we in Wexford are proud of the response of our own players … they called out the action very, very promptly”.
Martin said the referee called time on the challenge match when he became aware of the incident.
“It’s been widely acknowledged since that what happened was appalling, it was wrong and has no place in sport or in society.”
Martin said an investigation had commenced into the incident.
The GAA adopted new anti-racism rules at its Congress in February. A 48-week suspension can be imposed for “an act by deed, word or gesture of a racist, sectarian or anti-inclusion/diversity nature on an opponent or match official”.
A repeat infraction carries a ban of 96 weeks.
Martin said: “I don’t want to propose specific suspensions here because that would prejudice this particular investigation … but there is a number of options open to the committee up to expulsion from the association.
“I would like to see [the investigation] done quickly … we have to think of Lee here.”
He added that it was important to consider the impact on Chin’s family.
“Players, to a degree are used to this, not that they should be used to it. Lee has spoken previously about this.
“He’s also spoken about the importance of challenging this type of behaviour, not just for himself but for the players who follow in his footsteps.”
Martin told South East radio yesterday that “Lee Chin is a role model and he’s conscious that children of all races deserve to be able to play sport without comments like this. There’s an onus on us to challenge it both for Lee and the future of sport in Ireland.”
Both Wexford and Tipperary GAA condemned the incident.
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