Clare rugby great backs support for players showing signs of problem gambling

FORMER Munster and Ireland rugby international Marcus Horan hailed a landmark moment in gambling in sport at the launch of a new white paper at Wembley.

Clonlara man Horan, who represented his country 67 times, called for greater education across the sport sector and for leaders to step up their support for players who may be showing signs of problem gambling at the Gambling Harm Prevention in Sport Review Summit.

The summit, presented by EPIC Risk Management and UCFB’s Global Institute of Sport, brought together leaders in sport, research, politics, and the gambling industry for the first time to discuss the paper’s recommendations and hear a number of lived experiences.

Horan, now a member of EPIC Risk Management’s Pro Sport Advisory Board, lauded EPIC Risk Management’s white paper’s - informed by the PSAB - focus on education and awareness and asked sports organisations to do more to support players in the wake of Brentford striker Ivan Toney’s recent FA charge.

“It’s a seminal moment in gambling in sport,” said Horan, who works as player development manager for Rugby Players Ireland. 

“It is bringing everybody who can help make change together and highlight issues that people are facing on the ground. 

“Whether it’s across different countries, different sports, different industries, everyone is facing different problems and it is coming together and sharing those that is key.

“We have got to have a more top-down approach. The worst thing we can do is isolate people so it’s about having a better approach from the guys at the top – whether it’s the head coach, the CEO.

“Once something is identified, what can we do as a club, as an organisation, to support the player? 

“When someone breaks the rules, there are reasons for sanctions but we have to have that empathy to understand the illness that is behind it all.”

Horan spent over 14 years playing for Munster, during which he won the Heineken Cup in 2008, and while he revealed he had not seen problem gambling in that time, the Clonlara man was keen to focus on the different issues that may face Irish professional athletes.

“In Ireland, we have smaller communities, villages where you have a betting shop next to the pub and there is a culture around it,” he added.

“It is trying to make sure we are looking after people, but particularly athletes. In Ireland, they are probably more accessible; you know the local hero who is playing for Ireland and you are asking him who is playing at the weekend. 

“It’s about understanding the pressure on athletes so they are not caught up in the crossfire. 

“It's something I haven’t come across yet but my whole reason for getting involved is to be equipped for when that day comes. 

“I would be naive to think I am not going to come across it. I certainly don’t want to be side swiped by an issue. 

“Learning from guys that have been through it is great. What I really need to know is where to go, where to signpost somebody, how do we give them help, how do we speak to them, what language do we use with them?

“Someone in England might be facing something that we haven’t seen before in Ireland, we might be seeing something in Ireland that hasn’t shown its head over here. We have got to share those experiences and be prepared for them.

“It was powerful hearing stories today but the big thing is to back it up and have the support for those guys that speak out. 

“We talk about prevention, and that is admirable, but there will always be a few that slip through and we have to be there to help them and make sure that they have the tools to bring them back to where they should be.”

Gambling Harm Prevention in Sport Summit, presented by EPIC Risk Management and UCFB's Global Institute of Sport (GIS)