Offaly pass motion asking GAA to start process of cutting commercial ties with Allianz
Growing grassroots unease at the GAA’s relationship with Allianz Insurance was in evidence on Tuesday night as Offaly GAA passed a motion asking the association to “begin the process of ending all commercial involvement” with the German financial services company. In August, a petition signed by close to 800 current and former Gaelic Games stars calling on the association to drop Allianz insurance as a sponsor was handed into Croke Park, which led to the GAA referring the issue to their newly-constituted Ethics and Integrity Commission last month.So far, there has been no update to members on that group’s deliberations.However, parallel to this, at the Offaly County Committee meeting, a motion was brought forward by Ferbane GAA to urge Croke Park to end the GAA's association with Allianz Insurance based on the findings of a UN report that highlighted Allianz's role in the illegal occupation of Palestinian territory, titled "From economy of occupation to economy of genocide".In this report, Allianz Insurance, one of GAA's most high-profile sponsors, are identified as one of the corporations that has "continued to support, profit from and normalize an economy operating in genocidal mode". The report details the purchase of Israeli war bonds ($960 million) by Allianz Insurance and their investment in shares and bonds implicated in the occupation and genocide which runs to $7.3 billion.The current sponsorship deal with Allianz is set to continue until 2030, making it one of the longest-running sponsorships in Irish sport, having been in place since 1993. Allianz Insurance are also the underwriter for all GAA clubs and grounds.The motion presented to Offaly County Board delegates last night read as follows:"In light of the findings of the recent UN report that Allianz Insurance is profiting from the illegal occupation of Palestine, the GAA should begin the process of ending all commercial involvement with Allianz Insurance," proposed Brian Flynn of Ferbane GAA.A healthy discussion took place on the matter and the GAA's previous track record in distancing itself from the smoking, alcohol and gambling industries was highlighted as evidence of adopting proper ethical positions in the past, in spite of the cost implications to the organisation. In the main, there was consensus on the principle of the motion; however, a view also emerged that any decision should be deferred until the Ethics and Integrity Committee had issued its findings.Pat Teehan, Offaly CCC Secretary and former Chairperson of Leinster GAA, made a counter-proposal to defer until after that committee’s findings were issued, however, that counter-proposal was defeated and so the motion was adopted.
