Over 90% of inter-county footballers and hurlers who consume alcohol do so to excess throughout the off-season, it has been revealed in a second ESRI report commissioned by the GAA and GPA.
Analysing the same data from 2016 that was used in formulating the initial report last year, 89% of inter-county GAA players responded positively when asked, 'Do you consume alcohol?'
This figure was marginally higher than the 87% of men aged 18-35 who responded positively to the same question in a Department of Health survey published in 2016. However, a wider consideration of those DoH results showed that only 75% of people asked stated that they had consumed alcohol in the previous 12 months.
Although the report confirms that senior inter-county players consume alcohol less often than their counterparts in the general population, they tend to consume more drinks, on average, when alcohol consumption takes place.
Set against a nationwide average of 8.2 drinks consumed by a man aged 18-35 during a typical drinking session, it was found that GAA players, when drinking throughout pre-season, the National League, the Championship or in the off-season, consumed 9.7, 8.5, 8.9 or 11.4 drinks respectively.
Nevertheless, throughout the busier periods of the inter-county schedule, the consumption of alcohol is considerably lower among GAA players.
Asked how often they consumed alcohol during the National League and Championship of the 2016 season, 82% and 93% of players reported consuming alcohol either 'once a month' or 'never', respectively. Only 1% of players who stated that they drink alcohol reported doing so 'once a week' during the Championship.
Despite the irregular patterns, however, the ESRI report confirms that 9 out of 10 inter-county players who consume alcohol do so at a rate that is considered indicative of problematic drinking at stages throughout the year.
Gaelic Footballers vs Hurlers
Overall, 89% of Gaelic footballers in 2016 reported that they consumed alcohol.
In a breakdown of this number along the terms of the National Football League, it was found that players representing Division 1 clubs were the least likely to consume alcohol (85%).
This trend continued through the four divisions with 87% of players in Division 2 consuming alcohol, 91% in Division 3 and 95% in Division 4.
In direct contrast to these findings, it was the inter-county hurlers operating at the elite level who were found to be the more reliable drinkers: MacCarthy Cup (91%), Christy Ring (88%), Nicky Rackard (86%) and Lory Meagher (85%).
While this ESRI report primary dealt with data that had been self-reported by inter-county players, a section of the chapter devoted to 'risky behaviour' considered what players believed their teammates to be engaging in.
Whereas almost 80% of inter-county players are under the impression that certain teammates engage with gambling on a daily or weekly basis, 77% believe that recreational drug use never occurs.
In terms of alcohol consumption, 54% of players believe that teammates engage in excessive alcohol consumption on a monthly basis. However, this section of the study found that players greatly underestimate the level to which teammates actively engage in excessive drinking.
The second such report jointly-commissioned by the GAA and GPA, the ESRI's chosen title highlighted the core concern of the associated bodies: "Safeguarding amateur athletes: an examination of player welfare among senior inter-county Gaelic players."
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