The GAA are set to launch an investigation into an alleged breach of Covid-19 guidelines by the Down senior football squad.
Police arrived at the pitches of Abbey Christian Brothers School in Newry on Tuesday night after they were contacted by the public, according to the Irish News.
Northern Ireland coronavirus regulations currently state that only elite teams are permitted to train or play games but the GAA this week issued an update to say no county teams were permitted to train collectively for the entire month of January.
A PSNI spokesperson told the Irish News that “no breaches of regulations had taken place as it was an elite team”.
The incident came on the same day the GAA president John Horan and Director General Tom Ryan warned clubs about breaches of the association’s guidelines.
The letter stated that counties found to flout the rules “will be dealt with under rule 7.2 (e) Misconduct considered to have discredited the association.”
The penalty for any breach is a minimum eight-week suspension for the team or unit in question, or where appropriate, a fine, disqualification or expulsion from the association.
Down have said that “around 18” players had been present in two separate groups, where they were given programmes to follow in preparation for the resumption of collective training but that no training session had yet taken place.
Chairman Jack Devaney insisted that Down had “adhered to the directives from the GAA and we will continue to do so”.
“Our panel hadn’t been together since the Ulster semi-final and don’t plan to be back in collective training until early February as it stands,” he told The Irish News.
“Someone obviously called the police in, but they were satisfied that there was no issue.”
While the GAA this week stated that “it is important to note that outdoor gatherings on GAA property are not permitted”, Down GAA may claim that the rule was not specifically broken as the gathering took place on Abbey CBS’ playing fields, which is not strictly GAA property.
