Leinster chief Michael Reynolds wants refs to be given voice

Leinster Council CEO Michael Reynolds wants GAA referees to be given a voice.

In a bid to end the criticism and “ill-informed” commentary which surrounds the performance of a referee at inter-county level, Reynolds wants a third-party, appointed on behalf of Croke Park to breakdown and provide clarity on the decisions taken by match officials.

Referees are routinely criticised during post-match interviews given by inter-county managers, with the Central Competitions Control Committee agreeing in 2014 to impose sideline bans on any team official who makes derogatory comments about a referee prior to a game or during a post-match interview. In more severe cases such comments can warrant an eight-week suspension.

“There are many who attend our games who are not well versed with the rules. This can lead to controversy and, at best, ill-informed comment,” writes Reynolds in his report to Leinster convention.

“Is it not time to revert to a proposal of the Strategic Review Committee report in 2002 whereby ‘a system should be established so that an appointed third-party, on behalf of the association and the referee, explain the basis on which a referee reached a decision, which is subsequently deemed ‘controversial’ or becomes the focus of widespread comment and/or criticism’?”

This is a view shared by Donal Smyth, head of the national referees’ appointments committee and chairman of the Leinster referees’ development committee. Smyth believes managers need to be more self-critical, as opposed to apportioning blame to someone outside the team environment.

“There should be some mechanism to allow for explanation and review. This would lead to greater understanding of the role of the referee, how he is trained and the inputs he has received,” reckons former Meath goalkeeper Smyth.

“It would be remiss of me not to mention the commentators, press and pundits that provide the GAA with excellent coverage and media exposure, but they also have a responsibility along with the referees, management and players.

“They also need to know the rules and opinion should be informed and researched rather than just making remarks. As an aside, I heard a definition of a soft free recently - it is when the game was a draw and a free was given against my team. As I have said, there needs to be some mechanism established to increase the communication between all.”

Both Leinster CEO Reynolds and Smyth agree there needs to be a complete overhaul of the GAA’s disciplinary system.

Such is the collective refusal of clubs to accept a decision which carries a ban, Reynolds suggests increasing a proposed suspension if the player/official is unsuccessful in their appeal of the initial decision.

“The whole issue of the referee’s report, independent evidence and video evidence need to be defined,” Smyth insists.

When we are looking to get people off, we are rewarding foul play and undermining the referee. I do not believe that it is acceptable that everybody gets the same minimum penalty. What this does is it equates all wrongdoing as the same.

“This leads to a situation where bad infractions and incidents are trivialised and indicates that the organisation is not serious about discipline.

“This is not a court case, but it feels to me there are times that the referee is in the witness box rather than the persons who have done wrong.

“Players are responsible for the contact they make, they have a responsibility to their opponent not to injure. All people attending our games are also responsible for their behaviour. Their clubs and counties have a responsibility to deal with these issues, they are aware of the potential and need to be proactive.”

Elsewhere in his report, Reynolds defended the Leinster Council’s decision to start their pre-season competitions at the beginning of December. He also noted that any proposed new football championship format must protect the provincial competitions. Otherwise, it is going nowhere.

On the issue of fixtures uncertainty, Reynolds is in favour of all knockout games in the educational sectors finishing on the day; all club championship (knockout) up to and including quarter-finals finishing on the day, replays for semi-finals and finals if still level after extra time; all knockout games at minor and U20/21 level, including final, finishing on the day.