Sanctions - Online Application Process

All sanction applications must be made online via the Player Transfer System (PTS) This process must be initiated by the club in USGAA/Canada/New York that the player wishes to play with. Players who are intending to play in these jurisdictions should:

1. Contact the club secretary of the club they intend to play with in USGAA/Canada/New York.

2. If the club in USGAA/Canada/New York would like to initiate a sanction application for the player, the player should purchase suitable travel insurance.

Accepted Insurances Only –

It is the personal responsibility of each and every player to review the cover within their travel insurance policy in full and particularly with regards to what is covered \ not covered as regards COVID 19.

• USIT via Mapfre – Hazardous Activities: Grade 5
• Blue Insurance – Sports and Activities: Grade 3
• J1 Ireland Travel Insurance - policy endorsed to note cover for Gaelic Games
• Please note that every policy must be a minimum of three months' cover
• _For players in the six counties, you must purchase the insurance over the phone as opposed to the website. _

3. The player should supply their e-mail address to the club secretary of the club they wish to play in USGAA/Canada/New York so an application can be initiated.

4. Complete the application form online via a link which will be received by the player via e-mail from the PTS once an application has been initiated by the club secretary in USGAA/Canada/New York. Players must upload proof of their travel insurance information when completing the application form or the application will not be processed. In addition, players applying for a J1 Sanction must also provide proof of their J1 Visa (a copy of the J1 Visa will suffice)

5. Once the form has been completed, the club secretary of the club they wish to play in USGAA/Canada/New York will review the details and if appropriate submit the application to Croke Park for processing.

6. Croke Park will then process the application if all information has been provided. The club and county in Ireland will then receive an e-mail notification that the application requires their approval and will be invited to approve or reject the application.

7. Once all parties have approved the application, the sanction will be granted by Croke Park. An e-mail notification will advise all parties, including the player, that the sanction has now been granted.

1. 8. The USGAA/Canada/New York may have additional requirements with regard to registration in advance of a player being eligible to play in a fixture.

Mandatory Insurance

All players that will be seeking an Official GAA Sanction from Central Council to play in North America (USGAA), New York or Canada for the summer are reminded that travel insurance must be arranged in Ireland before they commence their journeys. Proof of this insurance is required as part of the application process

• Players wishing to play in North America must purchase cover for a minimum of 90 days (3 months). It is the player's own responsibility to ensure they are covered for all dates of potential fixtures.
• Travel insurance is not a private health insurance. It only covers players if there is a sudden and unexpected accident or if a player becomes ill during his trip.
• Generally, where doctors appointed by Insurers deem treatment in Ireland//Britain more appropriate, players will be repatriated home for treatment.
• Players playing overseas are not covered under the GAA Injury Benefit Fund.

The only currently acceptable insurances are;

• USIT via MAPFRE (Grade 5)
• Must include confirmation of an upgrade from the standard cover of “Hazardous Activities Grade 1” – to include “Hazardous Activities: Grade 5”
• Blue Insurance (Grade 3)
• Must include confirmation of an upgrade from the standard cover to include “Sports and Activities: Grade 3”
• J1 Ireland Travel Insurance
• Policy endorsed to note cover for Gaelic Games

Official Sanctions / J1 Sanctions

A player intending to play on a longer term basis in the area governed by one of the following Boards - the New York Board or the Canadian Board - must obtain an Official Sanction from Central Council.

A player intending to play on a longer term basis in the area governed by the USGAA board (formerly North American) must obtain an Official Sanction or an Official J1 Sanction from Central Council.

Note - A player who has been included on an Inter-County Senior Championship list submitted to the Referee, in accordance with Rules of Specification 2.5 (ii)(a) for a game in the current year’s Championship shall not be eligible to be accepted for Registration as a member of any Club in the North American County Board Jurisdiction.

Exception - A player who has been included on an Inter-County Senior Championship list submitted to the Referee, in accordance with Rules of Specification 2.5 (ii)(a), for a game in the current year’s Championship, who holds a valid current J1 Visa or who is eligible for a J1 Visa and who obtains an Official J1 Sanction may be accepted for registration.

• Such a player may only have his J1 Sanction approved once his team have been eliminated from the Senior Inter-County Championship (including All-Ireland qualifier games).
• The J1 Visa concerned with this Exception is the J1 Work and Travel Programme Visa only – i.e. the four-month Visa for 3rd Level Students.

General Rules

• A Sanction entitles a player to play with a Club from March 1 until the end of October
• Sanctions to USGAA (North America), New York or Canada, will not be granted after July 1
• A player who has received a Sanction will not be able to play again with his Club in Ireland for 30 days after the date of approval of his Sanction in Croke Park
• Sanctions are only available to current members of Clubs in Ireland or members of clubs in Britain, whose First Club is their current club.
• For more information, go to Rule 6.12 of the Official Guide.

Live Sanction Lists

• USGAA County Board Sanctions
• New York Sanctions
• Canadian Sanctions
• J1 Sanctions
• European Student Permits

For more information regarding overseas sanctions please contact:

Mark McGovern

mark.mcgovern@gaa.ie

Guthán | Tel: +353 (0) 1 819 2390