National Forum

How Do We Protect Match Officials And What Can Be Done To Help Improve Officials And Respect Towards Them

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Replying To Greengrass:  "The Gardaí can't take action unless the person who was assaulted reports the assault to them."
Genuine question. - if the referee that day had been female would the case have reached a similar conclusion without her bringing charges against the perpetrator.
Your opinion pls.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 2907 - 23/09/2022 09:34:49    2441611

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Replying To Greengrass:  "The Gardaí can't take action unless the person who was assaulted reports the assault to them."
So if a Garda sees an assault outside a chip shop at 3am, you are saying they can only take action that if the person assaulted reports it?
The law, my friend, is an ass if that is the story.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1128 - 23/09/2022 10:16:20    2441618

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Replying To Seanfanbocht:  "Wasn't there an assault on a soccer ref in Westmeath a few years ago followed by immediate lifetime bans for the perpetrators.?"
There was. The referee ended up in hospital following the incident. The individual in Roscommon should never be allowed near a GAA ground again. What is wrong in society, if people can assault a person officiating in a sport.

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1741 - 23/09/2022 10:48:50    2441624

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Replying To Greengrass:  "The Gardaí can't take action unless the person who was assaulted reports the assault to them."
Nonsense. Not true at all. If based on video evidence its deemed that a case should be brpught to court then it will

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3510 - 23/09/2022 15:01:31    2441654

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Replying To Gaa Fan:  "I would add to that that the referees' decisions be upheld unless there is clear-cut evidence that he erred.
I read today that another red card issued, to a county player in Waterford, was rescinded. Players, both men and women, know that their clubs and County Boards will go to any lengths to protect them no matter what or how often they get penalised."
I just that two red cards, issued in Cork, were rescinded. Seems to be the pattern.

Gaa Fan (USA) - Posts: 749 - 24/09/2022 19:28:56    2441744

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https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2022/09/25/wexford-gardai-investigating-alleged-assault-of-referee-at-junior-football-match/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

reffingmad (Roscommon) - Posts: 371 - 25/09/2022 19:55:55    2441831

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https://twitter.com/radiomidwest/status/1574098611109040128?t=Z9XZsIugDN8iqeViCyKsPw&s=08

reffingmad (Roscommon) - Posts: 371 - 25/09/2022 19:56:33    2441832

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Players hitting one another = part of the game.
Subs/mentors/supporters hitting players = not part of the game (see way too many such incidents).
Anybody hitting the referee should = team being thrown out.

The GAA have always been weak on discipline. At every level. At inter county, teams and managers will try every trick in the book to get players off on technicalities.

People often say "oh 1 individual doesn't define a club, and punishing the club is not right". Well, what should happen?

The incident in Roscommon just shows how poor the Gardai and GAA are at enforcing discipline for even the most egregious incident. A month or two later, radio silence.

There is still a sly, underhand amateur attitude to discipline throughout the GAA and the Gardai don't seem to act accordingly. "Get our player off", "look the other way" is all that seems to concern managers/officials/county boards.

It was ever thus.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1128 - 26/09/2022 09:41:37    2441872

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Another investigation into an alleged assault of a ref..ive often been annoyed by decisions made by some refs but never in my wildest dreams would I consider approaching and assaulting..I'm wondering if this is drastic action but if refs nationwide decided to pull their services for one weekend in next few weeks,would people then say what is happening is wrong and we need officials for our games..

CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2217 - 26/09/2022 09:48:17    2441873

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Here we go again, not much point in discussing as seems to a part of our games, blind eye turned by Gardai/GAA, pathetic.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4896 - 26/09/2022 13:11:45    2441916

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What is even worse is that the referee in question in the Wexford incident is a decent referee in my experience.
Not that that matters - if he is out there refereeing, he is a bigger man than the fellow on the line shouting abuse at him who never blew a whistle in his life.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1732 - 27/09/2022 09:31:42    2441986

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Replying To arock:  "Here we go again, not much point in discussing as seems to a part of our games, blind eye turned by Gardai/GAA, pathetic."
Yeah, if I wanted to assault somebody I would make sure and do it on a GAA pitch rather than outside a pub. One might be dealt with, the other won't.

StoreysTash (Wexford) - Posts: 1732 - 27/09/2022 09:43:31    2441993

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Replying To StoreysTash:  "Yeah, if I wanted to assault somebody I would make sure and do it on a GAA pitch rather than outside a pub. One might be dealt with, the other won't."
Wexford Chairman:

"We have had a number of serious incidents, potentially less serious than [Sunday's], and they have been dealt with severely by with our disciplinary committee but the fact that you have to deal with them in the first instance is very disappointing and it's one that we are constantly reminding clubs of.

"I think there has been an erosion in the respect for authority and decision-makers at all levels in society in the last 10 years. The GAA is a reflection of society."

I believe that's the attitude that exists in all counties - previous "serious incidents" dealt with "severely". When it happens its society's fault. The sanctions tend to be a joke at best and certainly couldn't be described as severe. The GAA is a big part of society all around the country and does so much good. It needs to start leading - from the top down and have a zero tolerance for such thuggery.

brianb (Kildare) - Posts: 283 - 27/09/2022 10:16:43    2442000

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Replying To arock:  "Here we go again, not much point in discussing as seems to a part of our games, blind eye turned by Gardai/GAA, pathetic."
There are active investigations by both Gardaí and Wexford GAA. That's hardly a blind eye.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2249 - 27/09/2022 11:59:10    2442013

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Replying To brianb:  "Wexford Chairman:

"We have had a number of serious incidents, potentially less serious than [Sunday's
, and they have been dealt with severely by with our disciplinary committee but the fact that you have to deal with them in the first instance is very disappointing and it's one that we are constantly reminding clubs of.

"I think there has been an erosion in the respect for authority and decision-makers at all levels in society in the last 10 years. The GAA is a reflection of society."

I believe that's the attitude that exists in all counties - previous "serious incidents" dealt with "severely". When it happens its society's fault. The sanctions tend to be a joke at best and certainly couldn't be described as severe. The GAA is a big part of society all around the country and does so much good. It needs to start leading - from the top down and have a zero tolerance for such thuggery."]Think the issue is that even when such incidents are dealt with "severely" as per what the Rule Book allows, the punishments still aren't severe enough. It was said in relation to the Roscommon case that 96 weeks is the maximum suspension allowed. There could be 96 weeks handed down here in Wexford as well. So they'd be dealing with it as severely as they'd be allowed to do, even if they'd like on a personal level to impose a much longer suspension.

Have already said in the Wexford football thread that Rule Book clearly needs to change if 96 weeks really is the maximum suspension.

And in fairness to the Chairman, I don't think he was trying to deflect blame by claiming it's all society's fault. He was merely saying it's reflective of a general breakdown across society of a respect for authority.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2249 - 27/09/2022 12:05:48    2442016

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "There are active investigations by both Gardaí and Wexford GAA. That's hardly a blind eye."
Wasn't there an investigation of that incident in Roscommon too? What came of it? Same as what will come of this incident.

ExiledInWex (Dublin) - Posts: 1128 - 27/09/2022 13:16:10    2442032

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Replying To Pikeman96:  "
Replying To brianb:  "Wexford Chairman:

"We have had a number of serious incidents, potentially less serious than [Sunday's
, and they have been dealt with severely by with our disciplinary committee but the fact that you have to deal with them in the first instance is very disappointing and it's one that we are constantly reminding clubs of.

"I think there has been an erosion in the respect for authority and decision-makers at all levels in society in the last 10 years. The GAA is a reflection of society."

I believe that's the attitude that exists in all counties - previous "serious incidents" dealt with "severely". When it happens its society's fault. The sanctions tend to be a joke at best and certainly couldn't be described as severe. The GAA is a big part of society all around the country and does so much good. It needs to start leading - from the top down and have a zero tolerance for such thuggery."
Think the issue is that even when such incidents are dealt with "severely" as per what the Rule Book allows, the punishments still aren't severe enough. It was said in relation to the Roscommon case that 96 weeks is the maximum suspension allowed. There could be 96 weeks handed down here in Wexford as well. So they'd be dealing with it as severely as they'd be allowed to do, even if they'd like on a personal level to impose a much longer suspension.

Have already said in the Wexford football thread that Rule Book clearly needs to change if 96 weeks really is the maximum suspension.

And in fairness to the Chairman, I don't think he was trying to deflect blame by claiming it's all society's fault. He was merely saying it's reflective of a general breakdown across society of a respect for authority."]I agree re the chairman I herd his interview on radio he is correct regarding the lack of respect for authority in all walks of life nowadays when I was a young lad if you were seen acting the maggot in your local village or town an adult would give you a kick up the arse and you would get another if you went home and complained if that happened now mammy and daddy would sue you and have you arrested. So a lot of people think that they can do and say what they like without any consequences no repect for older people gardai teachers etc

minor77 (Galway) - Posts: 223 - 27/09/2022 13:29:24    2442035

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "Wasn't there an investigation of that incident in Roscommon too? What came of it? Same as what will come of this incident."
What came of it? Roscommon GAA handed down what we're told is the maximum suspension possible.

It's a separate issue if the maximum suspension allowed isn't long enough. Have already said in two separate places on this forum that if the maximum really is 96 weeks, it should be drastically increased.

Don't know about any Garda investigation in Roscommon but I do know it's continuing in Wexford. Just because Gardaí don't issue regular statements about it doesn't mean they're turning a blind eye to it or sweeping it under the carpet. You'd be unlikely to hear anything more about it unless or until it lands in court, which could take a year or more because of the way the court system works in this country.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2249 - 27/09/2022 13:39:29    2442038

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Replying To ExiledInWex:  "Wasn't there an investigation of that incident in Roscommon too? What came of it? Same as what will come of this incident."
Joe's have already suspended him. Not sure for how long.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 11864 - 27/09/2022 14:29:51    2442044

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Replying To Viking66:  "Joe's have already suspended him. Not sure for how long."
I see their tweet about it says "indefinitely". That could mean anything.

Hope they decide to keep him suspended from the club for long after any official suspension is up, particularly if the maximum allowed really is only 96 weeks.

If they decide to let him back in as soon as an official suspension is served, then they won't really have done anything at all.

Pikeman96 (Wexford) - Posts: 2249 - 27/09/2022 15:08:15    2442050

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