‘Someone could get seriously hurt’ warn Donegal Schoolboys’ League

The Donegal Schoolboys’ League has raised serious concerns over the actions of parents at matches recently.

In an email to member clubs this week, warning that ‘someone could be seriously hurt’, a senior official from the league highlighted some of the disturbing incidents that have occurred.

“We are only four to five weeks into our league and we have five cases going to discipline regarding clubs failing to control their coaches, parents and spectators during an underage match,” reads the email.

“[There are] parents running onto the pitch, disturbing scenes after games, parents keeping the ball to waste time at an U-12 game. The list goes on. This has to stop and stop now as it's getting to a stage where someone could be seriously hurt.”
Clubs were also reminded of the punishment that will be dished out should they fail to fulfil their obligations, with fines and disciplinary hearings, with the rulebook quoted.

“ [A fine in disciplinary hearing will result if a] club failed to prevent its spectators, players, or their parents from disrupting a game or for persisting in ‘using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or gestures’ directed at a referee after the referee issued a warning to the team and/or officials.”

Matches might also be called to a halt: “Game is abandoned due to action(s) of players, coaches, administrators, or Spectators and such action(s) as are warranted as valid reasons for abandoning the game.”

As the umbrella body for South Donegal, East Donegal and the Letterkenny North West Schoolboys’ Leagues, the Donegal Schoolboys’ League runs football in the county from blitzes at U-9, U-10 and U-11, leagues at U-12, U-14 and U-16 levels, as well as the Donegal Youth League. There are approximately 3,500 registered players this year at the 35 clubs, many of whom field various numbers of teams in each bracket.