An appeal by Naomh Colmcille GAA club against a recommended ban and fine for an unapproved event at its grounds in Newtowncuningham, Co Donegal, will be heard next Tuesday night.
The soccer tournament held in February, was one of a number of fund-raising events locally in support of Paul Dillon, a former coach at the club who has been diagnosed with motor neuron disease.
In total about €85,000 was raised by the events to help Mr Dillon and his family adapt their home to meet his needs following his diagnosis.
Approval for the event was not given in advance of the tournament by the GAA but it went ahead and, following an investigation, the County Board confirmed that the minimum sanction for breaking the relevant rule, an 8 week ban and a fine of €500, had been recommended.
The ban has not been imposed yet as the club has appealed the sanctions and neither the County Board nor the club will comment on the controversy until the process has been completed.
Today, Mr Dillon said what had happened was a disgrace and he called on the GAA to use common sense and lift the ban. He said what happened was not the club's fault, the event had been organised by a "crowd of fellas" he had played football all his life with in order to help him.
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RTÉ News understands that insurance is a central issue in the controversy and that the GAA's insurers would not cover the event and so the organisation could not give it approval.
The event, however, went ahead and since it was unapproved, there was no GAA insurance cover on the day.
Former chairperson of the club, Darina Friel, said that the club only facilitated the event, it did not host it, and her understanding is that it would have been covered by community insurance.
She said that if they had said no to the community which wanted to help one of their own, the club would have folded because it is all about community.
