Wicklow football boss Davy Burke reckons GAA players and coaches should be trusted to return to training in small groups.
With the GAA ruling out all activity until at least July 20, Burke cites Athletics Ireland's planned return next week to suggest that the GAA should be allowed to follow suit.
And he's hit out at suggestions that players would break physical distancing instructions, claiming it's an underestimation of players' intelligence.
"I would love to see the same status being granted to the GAA very soon," Burke told RTE.
"At this stage why can't we come back and train in small groups? You wouldn't even want to see a football, just have a chance to do some conditioning work where players could still social distance whilst being part of small groups.
"If someone can’t adhere to those restrictions and they throw a ball into the session, I actually feel that players wouldn’t accept it.
"People take players for granted and just assume that behind closed doors training would eventually resume again.
"Those people who state that underestimate the intelligence of players. The players simply would not stand for it, in my view. They would say, 'Hang on, if my mam can’t come and watch me play a game then it is not safe for me to be here playing with a ball and then going back to her'.
"I would hope that Athletics Ireland resume and show how it can be done. Within the Wicklow set-up we have four or five coaches that we could split across the county and help lads get out near their homes.
"And I’m actually saying this now for the benefit of players’ mental health."
