GAA club meets over racial jibes at young footballer

CARLOW GAA club Éire Óg held a meeting of the club’s executive last night to consider the reported treatment of the club’s player Teboga Sebala by a section of the crowd at a recent juvenile football game.

Éire Óg club secretary Andrea Ellis confirmed reports that Teboga, who she said was originally from Nigeria, was the subject of what one parent described as “obscene racial abuse” during a county under-14 semi-final between Éire Óg and their neighbours from Carlow town, O’Hanrahan’s, which was played last week.

Ms Ellis said that Teboga has been living in Carlow for about four years and even though he is still only 12, he is a member of the Éire Óg under-14 team which has now qualified for the county final against Tinryland.

Ms Ellis said that she did not attend the recent game where Éire Óg played O’Hanrahan’s, their neighbours from Carlow town, but was made aware by parents of the targeting of the 12-year-old Éire Óg player by a section of the crowd.

“Teboga has been the subject of some things like that before but not to the degree that happened on this occasion, and it is very disappointing to hear of it,” according to Ms Ellis.

She said that parents of the players who were sitting close to the incident were taken aback by its nature.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times