The GAA insists its clampdown on derogatory comments towards referees was not a reaction to Brian Cody's verbal attack on Barry Kelly.
Cody branded Kelly's decision to award a disputed and very scoreable injury-time free to Tipperary in the drawn All-Ireland SHC final as "criminal" and escaped punishment for his outburst. However, the Association has since ruled that such criticism of match officials before or after matches will henceforth be punishable by a sideline ban.
"It has nothing to do with Brian Cody or his comments in the aftermath of the final replay," head of games administration Fergal McGill is quoted in The Irish Examiner.
"It was decided the removal of sideline privileges would be on the agenda at Saturday's Central Council meeting when potential games-based penalties were looked at during the summer.
"At the moment the only penalty available to team officials when they criticise referees is an eight-week suspension. That can be very uneven in so far as a team official could criticise a match official in June, be handed an eight-week suspension as a result and then miss the entire championship.
"We felt a games-based suspension would be more appropriate and that is what you have here. This penalty applies only to managers and their backroom team."
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