GAA REFEREES COULD soon have the power to issue red cards for racism offences.
A motion to next month’s GAA Congress is being put forward by the GAA’s ‘Standing Committee on Playing Rules’ proposing that such offences are upgraded to the bracket of aggressive fouls.
The wording of the motion states than an ‘act by deed, word or gesture of a racist, sectarian or anti inclusion/diversity nature against an opponent’ can lead to a referee showing a player a red card for committing such an offence.
The referee will have to have heard or witnessed the offence which could cause difficulties for officials in implementing it.
There have been some high-profile cases in the recent years involving racism allegations in the GAA with Wexford player Lee Chin speaking out on the subject. Crossmaglen Rangers player Aaron Cunningham also alleged he was racially abused in the 2012 Ulster club final.