Colm Cooper fears that there will be no GAA intercounty championships this year.
The Kerry great was reacting to comments made this morning by Minster for Health Simon Harris, who said it was "highly unlikely" that there will be very large mass gatherings in Ireland for the remainder of 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
And Minister Harris added: "Could you get to a point where you can’t have massive GAA matches, but you could have local kids having a kickabout safely?
"That’s the sort of space that we’re in, that we need to work our way through."
Speaking on RTE Radio, Cooper said: "It's disappointing, but in all honesty, we felt that this was coming.
"On a human level there are people dying out there.
"As sports fans, as GAA fans, we were hoping that there was going to be light at the end of the tunnel, possibly in the autumn.
"But taking those comments into consideration it doesn't look like that's going to be a runner at this point.
"Health will come first. While it mightn't be the best news for inter-county, there might be a silver lining for clubs at the end of it."
Five-time All-Ireland winner Cooper believes the GAA have done the right thing by monitoring the situation and, last week, pushing back the possible start of the championships to July.
But he would be loathe to see matches go ahead behind closed doors.
"It's not for me," said the 36-year-old.
"The essence of the GAA is people going to Thurles, Clones, Castlebar, Killarney, making their way down Jones' Road in Dublin. That's what makes the GAA, the atmosphere.
"At the moment we should be smelling the freshly cut grass, getting ready for championship.
"It's not sitting well with all of us but I can't see how a successful GAA championship would go ahead behind closed doors.
"Can you imagine the climax of a championship and on final day, climbing the steps of the Hogan Stand for Liam MacCarthy or Sam Maguire and no supporters in the stadium?
"It certainly doesn't sit well with me as a supporter.
"I can only imagine the players as well, driving through towns on the way to matches – I just don't see how it would work. I can't see how it would be a positive.
"It wouldn't create the excitement that we are used to. We go to see the little bits magic that lights up a crowd".
