Managers face sideline bans

GAA top brass deny that the new penalty for criticism of match officials stems from Brian Cody’s attack on referee Barry Kelly.

The Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC), arising from Saturday’s Central Council meeting, now holds the power to impose sideline bans on team officials who make derogatory comments in relation to referees prior to a game or during post-match interviews.

The previous penalty of an eight-week suspension still stands; the GAA’s head of games administration, Fergal McGill, yesterday commenting that the removal of sideline privileges is a “more appropriate games-based sanction”.