CHAMPIONSHIP 208 NEWS:GAA president Nickey Brennan believes the new disciplinary system is operating efficiently. Seán Moranreports

GAA PRESIDENT Nickey Brennan has robustly defended the right of the association's disciplinary bodies to use video evidence. He was responding to criticisms that RTÉ's Sunday Game has been setting the association's disciplinary agenda by focusing on specific incidents in matches, which in some cases have already been dealt with by the referee.

The issue was revisited this week with the news that Dublin wing back Colin Moran had been recommended a four-week suspension for a collision with Westmeath's Dermot Bannon in last weekend's Leinster football semi-final - despite being yellow-carded by referee Pádraig Hughes. Moran's hearing before the Central Hearings Committee (CHC) took place last night.

The Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) is entitled to ask referees to review video records of incidents and clarify whether they are satisfied with the actions taken. Should the referee change his mind in relation to the incident the CCCC may bring disciplinary action under Rule 147 (f).

Brennan yesterday denied that the CCCC initiates action on the basis of editorialising on the Sunday Game.

"We have picked up on these matters ourselves. If incidents are highlighted on TV there's not a lot we can do about it but it has no influence on our procedures. The CCCC are more than capable of making up their own minds from footage.

"It's a little bit disingenuous for the print media to highlight the role of the Sunday Game because the same incidents are covered in newspapers together with speculation on how the CCCC might view them."

He was also unimpressed by the call from the Gaelic Players' Association (GPA) chief executive Dessie Farrell for clarification on how the CCCC choose the incidents they decide to take farther.

"It's ironic about the GPA because Dessie Farrell is a delegate to both Central Council and congress, which passed these new regulations. Why is he looking for clarification on this now when he was part of the body that took the decision in the first place?"

Brennan added he was very happy with the consistency of application in relation to disciplinary enforcement so far this championship. After an at times chaotic season last year foul play has been punished on a more systematic basis.

"Not alone am I happy with the consistency but a significant number of people have contacted me or met me and complimented the association on at long last standing up to the problems we have had with discipline and sending messages down to the rest of the units in our association that they too should deal with these matters.

"Our committee members have to be given credit for taking on a very difficult situation. We were facing serious challenges to our disciplinary systems at the start of the year and I make no apologies for the line we have taken. If players successfully argue their case at the CHC or can get off on technicalities at appeals level, so be it.

"I have made it quite clear that I don't regard every loophole in this system as having been closed but we have made enormous progress in closing them off."

Concerns have been expressed that once the CCCC refers an incident back to the match referee, he feels under pressure to revise his opinion of the incident or else run the risk of forfeiting future match appointments. A number of referees have been quoted anonymously voicing concerns about the role of television coverage in making Croke Park feel obliged to follow up incidents.

According to the president no referee has indicated to him even in private that they were worried about being coerced into changing their minds when approached by the authorities.

"That does a great disservice to referees," he said. "There is absolutely no pressure [to reconsider decisions]. If the CCCC is of the view that something merits further consideration the referee is given a video clip of the incident and asked to review and see if he's satisfied with the decision. If he says he is that's the end of the matter.

"I attend at least every second referees' meeting and this is not an issue that has been brought up and it's never been raised by any referee with me, and referees have access to me any time they want."

While not wanting to get into the specifics of any of the cases that have been processed this summer, Brennan believes the structures are balanced and fair and any player aggrieved about his suspension or proposed suspension has adequate opportunity to fight his corner - pointing out that Down manager Ross Carr had his suspension lifted recently partly because of a delay in the GAA's processing of the case.

"There's a consistency now about how we're applying our discipline. People can argue over individual cases but that's not the issue. It's none of my business to get involved in individual cases; I just want to see that the process is working, and it's working quite well at the moment.

"If there's an error anywhere along the way on the GAA side well then clearly, as has been shown, a player or mentor or whoever will end up getting the benefit of the doubt because the process has not been conducted in the manner in which it should be conducted.

"Ross Carr was an example of that because we didn't do our business correctly.

"It's not that long since the GAA were being severely criticised for our disciplinary process being in chaos. Now there's uproar because we're being too harsh. Look - I'm around long enough to know that we can't say we have this thing cracked. Life doesn't work that way in the GAA. But things are improving."