Nickey Brennan has defended his decision to fly business class to Australia for the recent International Rules series, while manager Sean Boylan and the Irish players travelled in economy. The GAA president explained that he had done so for health reasons, stressing that it has always been GAA policy for all its officials on trips relating to the Association to travel economy class. Only last week, Brennan defended the GAA's decision not to provide the players with business class seats for the long haul flight. He said at the time: "I think the fact that we won the two Tests blows that argument out of the water. In the past, Ireland GAA teams going to Australia have always travelled business class I don't envisage any change in that arrangement in further years." However, after it emerged that Brennan himself flew business class from Dublin to Sydney via Abu Dhabi, he issued a statement outlining the reasons for his upgrade. He pointed out that the business class travel did not cost the GAA any additional money as he flew with All-Ireland hurling championship sponsors, Etihad. He said: "I, and my family, were concerned for my health because of the number of flights I was making in such a short space of time. "I went to Malaysia on October 9th for the Asian Gaelic Games finals. I flew economy class from Dublin, Amsterdam, Kuala Lumpur to Penang. I left Malaysia on October 13 and was back in Ireland on October 14th - against flying economy. "The next day, I had an all-day meeting of the All-Star selectors and then on Friday night I had the All-Star function in Dublin. I had the Shinty Internationals in Kilkenny on the Saturday, the 18th, and a function that night in Kilkenny. "On Sunday, October 19th, I flew from Dublin to Abu Dhabi to Sydney with Etihad Airways." Tweet

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