'I CAN'T BACK ALLIANZ DUE TO THEIR LINK TO GENOCIDE'

FROM BACK PAGE

- 

Byrne, 31, says he's disappointed that the GAA has pressed ahead with plans for another season under the Allianz banner.

"I have to say, from what I know, we're all still going to be playing in the Allianz Leagues," he said.

"The overall goal of the campaign was for the GAA to drop Allianz — and it seems like they haven't listened to us, or to those people making that campaign. That's been disappointing."

The petition, circulated earlier this year by Dublin club activists, urged Croke Park to review its commercial links in light of what players and supporters called a "moral responsibility".

An ethics committee was set up to look at the issue - but Byrne (above) believes progress has been painfully slow.

"They moved, they talked, and started to investigate," he explained.

"They had six or eight people on that committee - so that was the step they took.

"But these things always seem to take time. That's the frustration from my perspective.