Donegal GAA is facing a crisis, with all its academy staff resigning in support of Karl Lacey.
The 2012 Footballer of the Year had been working as head of the county’s academy development in recent years, but stepped down last week.
In solidarity, coaches and other workers in the academy have withdrawn their services, noting that they were “extremely disappointed with how [Lacey] was treated.”
In correspondence sent to the county board, as seen by the Donegal News, the staff have stepped down en masse.
“We regret to inform you that the coaches, performance support and logistics support involved in the Donegal Academy are stepping down from their duties with immediate effect. Our under 20 and under 17 coaches and management teams will remain in place as they are in season, and the integrity of our competitions must be preserved,” they wrote.
“We would all like express our full support for the Head of Academy Development and are extremely disappointed in how he was treated in his role. However our deepest regret lies with the approx. 350 young Donegal players which are currently at standstill, who we coached and bonded with over the past 18 months and indeed their parents/guardians who were equally as committed.
“However, the coaches, performance support and logistics support feel that the development vision and pathway for Donegal is not aligned with or supported by the leadership within the county. As a group, we have lost all confidence in governance of Donegal GAA.”
