“The GAA would need to be very wary.”
Tyrone legend Peter Canavan delved into the possibility of the GAA bringing in a TMO (Television match official) or VAR-type of system into the GAA.
RTE had confirmed that the GAA were looking at the potential use of TMO, and how it could be utilised in Gaelic football and hurling, so there is a genuine possibility of it being brought in in the future.
Canavan was speaking on the League of Sunday show and explains how this could be a can of worms for the sport.
“The GAA would need to be very wary if they are thinking about bringing in the TMO,” said the two-time All-Ireland winner.
“You see the controversy that VAR has brought to the Premiership and they are doing it for the right reasons to get the correct decisions, but they have made a hames of the game in trying to do so, much to the frustration of players and supporters.
“The GAA would need to be very reluctant that we don’t go down that path.”
The Irish Examiner reported earlier this month that only 19 of 42 inter-county football referees passed recently held fitness tests, which has resulted in people saying that the match officials need more help on the pitch.
Peter Canavan explains consequences of so many GAA referees failing fitness tests.
"You only have to see the controversy that VAR has caused over in England. They've brought it in for the right reasons, but they've made a hames of the game."
Will we see a TMO in Gaelic games in the near future?
📺 Watch League Sunday on RTÉ2 and the RTÉ Player pic.twitter.com/01pecI7JH3— The Sunday Game (@TheSundayGame) January 28, 2024
“They’re an easy target when it comes to ridicule and sarcasm,” said Canavan.
“This is the last thing that referees needed at the very start of a new season. While it is disappointing that so many didn’t pass the test, at least there is accountability there. It’s not a wink and a nod and let you away with it.
“It doesn’t look good, but it’s a message to the referees, if you are not up to that standard, you are not going to referee the games.
“We went through different games [from the weekend] and all the crucial decisions that were made, every referee was no more than 10 – 12 metres from it.
“Fitness is not a problem, it’s the decision-making and the interpretation of the rules and the tackles that’s a bigger issue than fitness.
“The referees would say, never mind at club level, let some of the current coaches and managers go through a rules test to see how well they do on it and they’ll see how difficult it is.”
Related links:
- Peter Canavan on why ‘meaningful’ changes to Gaelic football could happen very soon
- Who’d be a hurling referee after what Sean Stack had to listen to on Sunday?
- Top GAA inter-county referees fail fitness tests in record numbers before National League
