Woods insists Sunday Game doesn’t sway CCCC rulings

SEAMUS Woods, the chair of the GAA’s powerful Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC), has strongly refuted suggestions that RTE’s Sunday Game programme has an influence on the disciplinary decisions taken by the body.

In an exclusive questions and answers interview with the Irish Examiner today, Mr Woods launches a robust defence of the much-maligned committee. He also claims teams are not investing enough time and money in ensuring their players are aware of the rules and believes the championship could be run off on a shorter timeframe than the present May to September schedule.

However, Mr Woods is particularly vocal about suggestions the CCCC is influenced by disciplinary incidents highlighted by pundits on The Sunday Game.

“The Sunday Game is not, never was and never will be the only source of information as long as 1.5 million people continue to attend inter-county fixtures each year, and even more watch the 40 live games on TV,” he insisted.

“It is ridiculous to suggest that what may be highlighted on The Sunday Game would not be seen elsewhere, or would somehow not otherwise come into the public domain. It is equally absurd to imagine that the CCCC would be oblivious of any particular incident, and that such an incident would remain a state secret but for The Sunday Game.”

Woods believes the theory is grounded in gaining personal advantage.

“I cannot generalise about what motivates all the claims about the alleged influence of The Sunday Game, but I suspect that some of the claimants are blinded by self-interest. In my observation, the regular and repeated condemnation of video evidence is designed to obscure one fundamental issue — viz did this alleged misdemeanour take place or not?

“We must never blur the fundamental distinction between right and wrong, no matter how important any individual player is perceived to be. Foul play is foul play.”

Woods is also sceptical of the lobby within the GAA purporting the virtues of the provincial championships being ditched for a competition based on the Champions League.

However, he is of the mind the championship can be completed in a more concentrated timeframe.

“I am not persuaded by the advocates of a ‘Champions League’ style format. The championship timeframe is yet another matter. Does it really take 19 weekends from the third weekend in May to the penultimate Sunday in September to conduct two parallel championships, each with 34 competing teams and a maximum of 1,000 players?

“Does this take sufficient account of our 2,500 clubs which cater for about 100,000 adult players?”

Woods is also unhappy with county board officials who fire brickbats at the CCCC when they have competition controls committees themselves.

“On the disciplinary front, it is disappointing to hear officers in individual counties criticising procedures or decisions at national level when these very same people are operating the exact same system and procedures within their own counties.

“There is nothing unique about the national CCC; the rules and procedures under which it conducts its business are exactly the same as those which govern every other CCC in every county in Ireland and overseas, and remember that every single county has at least two CCCs of its own!”

Woods believes managers are not putting enough focus on their players’ knowledge of the games’ rules. “Every player has to take responsibility for his own behaviour, and it is the duty of each manager to ensure that he does so.

“It amazes me that a county can be prepared to spend upwards of €1 million in pursuit of an All-Ireland title, and will assemble an expensive retinue of analysts, statisticians, dieticians, coaches, tacticians etc, and yet allow all this intricate preparation and investment to be undermined by its failure to ensure that its players act and play within the rules.”