GAA take issue with criticism of role of video evidence

THE GAA has vigorously defended its procedures in relation to disciplinary citations. After a week of controversy concerning the Paul Galvin-Eoin Cadogan incident in the Cork-Kerry replay, last weekend was a fairly quiet one but concerns about the role of television coverage in the bringing of charges has remained a topic of heated discussion.

Séamus Woods, chair of the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) which oversees the initiation of disciplinary procedures, while emphasising he was speaking generally and would not comment on specific cases, strongly took issue with criticism of the role of video evidence.

“In my observation, these criticisms of procedures, and the regular condemnation of video evidence all seek to obscure one fundamental issue – did this alleged misdemeanour take place or not?

“The CCCC does not fabricate evidence. Foul play is foul play. Isn’t it about time that all players, managers, and county officials faced up to their responsibilities? The vast majority already do, but some are tempted to defend the indefensible, and overlook the blatantly obvious when it suits. Moral responsibility has to supersede narrow self-interest. We must never succumb to the temptation to blur the fundamental distinction between right and wrong, no matter how important any individual player is perceived to be.”

He added that his committee generally assesses matches as they are played and rejected the common assertion that RTÉ's The Sunday Gamehas a disproportionate influence on the actions of the CCCC.

“The decision to refer an incident back to a referee for review is always a collective committee decision; this process will be ongoing over the entire weekend throughout the intercounty season, given that there are National League games on Saturday nights, and football and hurling qualifiers, as well as replays and championship games on Saturdays throughout the summer months.

"The result is that decisions have already been taken, and incidents sent for review as deemed necessary long before The Sunday Gamegoes on air."

Woods is also critical of what he sees as an ongoing ignorance within the media of the disciplinary procedures.

“The current disciplinary system has been in place since 2006 and the GAA has made exhaustive efforts since then to make all units and members aware of how the system works. It constantly amazes me that certain media outlets still write or talk about the CCCC “handing out suspensions”, and about players ‘appealing to the Hearings Committee’.

“At the risk of sounding repetitive, the CCCC only proposes penalties, and the player in question then either accepts the proposed penalty or takes his case to the Hearings Committee.

“It is equally disappointing to hear officers in individual counties expressing reservations or even criticising procedures at central level when these very same individuals have been entrusted with the responsibility of operating the exact same system and procedures within their own counties. To put it kindly, it is at best inconsistent for such individuals to defend the blatantly obvious at intercounty level, while, presumably, being prepared to enforce the same rules and penalties on club players in their own jurisdictions.”

Meanwhile, the Central Hearings Committee have imposed suspensions on Armagh’s Brian Mallon and Waterford’s Tom Prendergast after they picked up red cards earlier this month. Mallon was sent off in the Ulster championship against Monaghan and has received a four-week ban for “behaving in a way dangerous to an opponent”.

Prendergast received the same suspension for “striking an opponent with the elbow” in the Munster semi-final against Limerick. His team captain Tony Gray had his hearing adjourned until a later date for a sending-off in the same match.