Calling all Police, Fire Brigade, and Prison Officers
By RONAN DEANE
VANCOUVER - With only four months to go, the World Police and Fire Games is appealing to B.C. and Canadian police, fire, and prison officers, with either an Irish heritage or an interest in competitive sport, to forward their interest in being part of an All-Canadian Gaelic football squad to compete at the B.C. Games.
The World Police and Fire Games will be held in Burnaby in August 2009 and these Games have massive significance from an Irish perspective.
This is the first time that Gaelic football has been offered as a Police and Fire Games sport, and this is regarded as an excellent opportunity for exposure of Ireland's national sport.
The long-term plan is that Gaelic football becomes an official sport at these Games, with demonstration status at the B.C. Games (2009), the New York Games (2011), and full status in time for the Belfast Games in 2013.
The 2009 Games organizers are expecting between six and 10 Gaelic football teams to attend with forces interested in participating from Canada, the United States, the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, and England.
Already the Canadian County Board of the GAA and the Irish Ambassador to Canada have expressed great enthusiasm and support for the addition of Gaelic Games to the roster of such a high profile international sporting event. The games themselves expect 11,000 participating athletes from over 65 different sports.
The Vancouver Gaelic football teams and the local Irish community will be working to make the introduction of Gaelic football a success for the 2009 World Police and Fire Games, the Gaelic Athletic Association and for the Irish diaspora.
The Gaelic football tournament will be held on the August Bank Holiday week-end at the Burnaby Lake Rugby facilities.
Anyone interested in volunteering at the Games, or if you are interested in representing Canadian forces in Gaelic football and eligible to participate, more information can be found at www.2009wpfg.ca, or the Games organisers can be contacted at gaelicfootball@2009wpfg.ca.
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