GAA keeping their focus on Hawk-Eye options

GAELIC GAMES NEWS:THE GAA has defended its decision to deal exclusively with the UK-based Hawk-Eye brand of score-detection technology, rather than explore potential Irish-based companies or research institutions.

The GAA’s management committee will tomorrow week hear the recommendations of the special research committee currently exploring improved methods of score-detection – although not just Hawk-Eye, but also a potential increase in the height of goal posts, or indeed the use of simple ball-catcher nets attached to the goal posts.

Hawk-Eye, however, is the only brand of so-called goal-line technology being considered by the GAA. The Hampshire-based firm, recently acquired by Sony, has over 10 years experience in such ball-tracking technology and its products are already widely used for line calls in high-profile tennis tournaments and for lbw decision reviews in cricket.

But the GAA has been criticised for not looking at Irish options, with a number of research institutions, including the Waterford Institute of Technology, suggesting such technology was relatively simple, and that the expertise to deliver it was widely available in Ireland.

“It’s easy to say the technology is simple,” said a spokesperson for the GAA, “and may be out there on a wider scale, but the reality is Hawk-Eye is the brand leader, and the only one proven to work. It’s been subjected to the most stringent testing and assessment.

“We certainly didn’t blank the Irish companies. But the evidence is there, from the recent Fifa testing, that even some of the other top-notch countries from around the world weren’t up to the necessary standard.”

Fifa are actively exploring their potential use of goal-line technology, for possible introduction next summer.

However, of the 10 companies that were invited by Fifa for initial testing in Switzerland earlier this year, none were able to comply with the stringent criteria for approval – firstly, that a decision must be reached within one second, and be 100 per cent accurate.

Hawk-Eye was not one of the companies tested in that first round – and will instead join another eight companies invited for the second round of Fifa testing later this year.

Also central to the Fifa demands for the system is that it must be capable of alerting referees when the ball crosses the goal-line, by way of a vibration and visual signal sent to their watches, wherever they happen to be on the pitch.

The GAA has already indicated that they have certain demands of their own: “You have uprights that are very high and shake in the wind,” said director general Páraic Duffy.

“So you have to be absolutely certain that the technology is 100 per cent effective, and there are a lot of technical issues around making Hawk-Eye work for the GAA.”

Cost will also be a key factor in whether or not the management committee will decide to go with Hawk-Eye, or opt instead for one of the simpler, cheaper options.

It has already been estimated that the widespread use of Hawk-Eye would cost the GAA in the region of €500,000 per year: the compromise would be to install it in Croke Park only, on a two-year trial basis, before committing to such wider expense.

Originally it seemed a case of “all or nothing” with such technology, but Duffy hinted otherwise last week, suggesting it may be a case of “doing it on a pilot basis”, perhaps for “one or two years”.

The research committee is chaired by Seán Donnelly from Kilmacud Crokes, and also includes GPA chief executive Dessie Farrell, Fiona Coyle from the Irish Sports Council, Michael McGeehan from Coaching Ireland, Gary Rice from Beauchamps Solicitors, Cork minor hurling manager John Considine, Adrian McGuckian of Derry football and Prof Niall Moyna from DCU.

A cheaper option would be to extend the height of all intercounty posts (from 10.67 metres to at least 13 metres), and/or attach a ball-catcher net to the posts.