The GAA has been sharply criticised for extending its sponsorship deal with drinks company Diageo by the Irish Medical Organisation.
GAA president Nicky Brennan announced at Wednesday's hurling launch in Croke Park that Guinness would continue as the championship title sponsors for an additional 12 months, until 2008.
The IMO, in a statement yesterday, recalled the intention expressed in recent years by GAA figures to phase out alcohol sponsorship.
"Two years ago the GAA signalled its intention to break its link with alcohol sponsorship. Yesterday's decision is a betrayal of all those who have deep misgivings about the association accepting drink sponsorship," said Dr Joe Barry, former IMO president. "It makes a mockery of the GAA's expressed concern about alcohol-related harm.
"The GAA is our largest and most influential sporting and cultural organisation. It is, therefore, doubly disappointing that alternative sponsorship could not be found. The strategic taskforce on alcohol, set up by the Government in 2002 because of concerns about alcohol, exhorted sporting bodies to begin the process of seeking alternative sponsorship, so that the link between sport and alcohol in Ireland could be loosened.
"By their decision, the GAA has turned its back on the many thousands of Irish people and families struggling with alcohol-related problems," added Dr Barry.
Former GAA president Seán Kelly established an internal alcohol and substance abuse taskforce, in association with the Department of Health, in 2003. Brendan Murphy was named national co-ordinator last November with Galway hurling legend Joe Connolly as chairman.
Other committee members include Michael Whelan of Guinness, Donegal county secretary Noreen Doherty, the primary schools representative on the GAA Central Council, Timothy Maher, governor of Mountjoy Prison John Lonergan, former president of the Union of Students of Ireland Colm Jordan, Kilkenny hurler DJ Carey and the GAA's head of marketing, Dermot Power.
In a related issue, Donegal GAA development officer Terence McGinley claims Gaelic football games are being cancelled at short notice because players are still in bed with hangovers. Drugs as well as drink were responsible for weekend club fixtures being cancelled across the country, according to Mr McGinley. "It's a problem in every parish around the country, not just in Donegal, at all age levels - from 14-year-olds to senior players." Mr McGinley and Donegal GAA county vice-chairman Seán Kelly raised the issue after eight games in the county were cancelled on bank holiday Monday.
They told a county board meeting that a number of clubs were unable to field teams "because of substance abuse and alcohol over the weekend". Mr Kelly, a teacher and former Donegal GAA chairman, said: "It has become a big problem, particularly at weekends."
A spokesman for the Donegal County Board said that four of last Monday's match cancellations were caused by bereavements. Two were called off because the venues were judged "unsuitable" and the remaining two were cancelled because players were "unavailable". He claimed cancellation of games because alcohol prevented players turning up was "a rare, not a common, problem".