GAA may enforce referee respect with frees and penalties

HOLD THE LINE: In attendance during the GAA Referees Respect Day at Croke Park in Dublin are Uachtarán Chumann Lúthchleas Gael Larry McCarthy, centre, with referees, from left, David Coldrick, Colm Lyons, Thomas Gleeson and Sean Hurson. Pic: Sam Barnes/Sportsfile

The GAA is exploring the possibility of in-game punishments for the teams of mentors who verbally abuse referees.

GAA president Larry McCarthy, a keen follower of American sports, suggests Gaelic games could take a leaf out of basketball’s book and penalise the side of the manager or team official found to have mouthed at the match official.