Fat Tom
16-02-2006, 11:03 AM
from today's indo
THE path has been cleared for the nine Dublin/Tyrone players charged with misconduct and discrediting the GAA in last week's Omagh brawl to serve any suspensions they receive.
Fears that the same loophole regarding the use of video evidence that saw three players - Tyrone's Ryan McMenamin and Armagh pair Paul McGrane and Ciaran McKeever - avoid suspensions they were handed after last year's Ulster final replay have been allayed thanks to a valuable document in the Central Disciplinary Committee's possession.
The Ulster final replay trio got off because referee Michael Collins had already referred in his match report to the incidents for which the CDC wanted to bring additional charges on the review of video evidence.
Misconduct
The latest document is a letter signed by referee Paddy Russell which confirms that neither he, nor any of his officials, witnessed first hand any misconduct by the nine players other than the misconduct referred to in his match report.
If he, or any of his officials, had witnessed any incidents involving the nine, other than what he had reported in his official match report, but then didn't take disciplinary action then he would have deemed to have already dealt with the incidents. Under the terms of last year's Disputes Resolution Authority ruling that freed McMenamin, McGrane and McKeever the CDC could not technically suspend any of the 'Omagh nine' if Russell had seen anything but hadn't recorded it.
It's a clever device to combat the loophole which manifested itself at a DRA tribunal last August and the CDC are now confident that they can press ahead with the charges because of Russell's confirmation.
Such letters could be become standard procedure in cases where the CDC want to introduce video evidence to bring charges against a player or official.
The letter of confirmation from Russell that he didn't see any of the nine players involved in incidents other than those in his official report is dated February 11 last, five days after Russell had despatched his initial report and an addendum on the opening round Allianz NFL match which he describes as the most disappointing and upsetting day of my years of refereeing."
As reported in last Tuesday week's Irish Independent Russell admitted in his initial addendum that he came close to calling the game off "as tempers were at a very high level."
On reflection he chose not to take that action. "I decided that it may actually be better to try to continue and restore order rather than leaving both teams together in the field."
The second letter signed by Russell comes in the aftermath of the CDC's initial meeting on Wednesday and a second briefing they are understood to have had on Saturday last, the date on the letter.
There will be a sense of intrigue among both Co Boards about the completely different presentation and format of both letters signed by Russell in the space of five days.
Official
The typeface on the second letter by Russell is different to the first. Russell's initial letter is typed in block capital letters, the type of the second letter is remarkably similar to the type of official fixtures lists that are sent out from Croke Park.
The names of players are listed in Irish as opposed to English player names in the addendum attached on February 6. And the address of the referee is also in different places on both letters.
The CDC would not comment on whether the second letter was prepared on its behalf for Russell to sign and return. "The CDC has no comment to make on the matter. They will continue to address this case in the normal way and they will not be influenced by other parties," a spokesman on behalf of the CDC said.
THE path has been cleared for the nine Dublin/Tyrone players charged with misconduct and discrediting the GAA in last week's Omagh brawl to serve any suspensions they receive.
Fears that the same loophole regarding the use of video evidence that saw three players - Tyrone's Ryan McMenamin and Armagh pair Paul McGrane and Ciaran McKeever - avoid suspensions they were handed after last year's Ulster final replay have been allayed thanks to a valuable document in the Central Disciplinary Committee's possession.
The Ulster final replay trio got off because referee Michael Collins had already referred in his match report to the incidents for which the CDC wanted to bring additional charges on the review of video evidence.
Misconduct
The latest document is a letter signed by referee Paddy Russell which confirms that neither he, nor any of his officials, witnessed first hand any misconduct by the nine players other than the misconduct referred to in his match report.
If he, or any of his officials, had witnessed any incidents involving the nine, other than what he had reported in his official match report, but then didn't take disciplinary action then he would have deemed to have already dealt with the incidents. Under the terms of last year's Disputes Resolution Authority ruling that freed McMenamin, McGrane and McKeever the CDC could not technically suspend any of the 'Omagh nine' if Russell had seen anything but hadn't recorded it.
It's a clever device to combat the loophole which manifested itself at a DRA tribunal last August and the CDC are now confident that they can press ahead with the charges because of Russell's confirmation.
Such letters could be become standard procedure in cases where the CDC want to introduce video evidence to bring charges against a player or official.
The letter of confirmation from Russell that he didn't see any of the nine players involved in incidents other than those in his official report is dated February 11 last, five days after Russell had despatched his initial report and an addendum on the opening round Allianz NFL match which he describes as the most disappointing and upsetting day of my years of refereeing."
As reported in last Tuesday week's Irish Independent Russell admitted in his initial addendum that he came close to calling the game off "as tempers were at a very high level."
On reflection he chose not to take that action. "I decided that it may actually be better to try to continue and restore order rather than leaving both teams together in the field."
The second letter signed by Russell comes in the aftermath of the CDC's initial meeting on Wednesday and a second briefing they are understood to have had on Saturday last, the date on the letter.
There will be a sense of intrigue among both Co Boards about the completely different presentation and format of both letters signed by Russell in the space of five days.
Official
The typeface on the second letter by Russell is different to the first. Russell's initial letter is typed in block capital letters, the type of the second letter is remarkably similar to the type of official fixtures lists that are sent out from Croke Park.
The names of players are listed in Irish as opposed to English player names in the addendum attached on February 6. And the address of the referee is also in different places on both letters.
The CDC would not comment on whether the second letter was prepared on its behalf for Russell to sign and return. "The CDC has no comment to make on the matter. They will continue to address this case in the normal way and they will not be influenced by other parties," a spokesman on behalf of the CDC said.