GAA:The GAA rules taskforce announced new disciplinary measures that will take effect during all inter-county competitions from January 1st, 2009. The most significant change will see a player who receives a yellow card get sent off and be replaced by one of six designated substitutes.
There are now up to seven and six different ways a player can receive a yellow card in hurling and football respectively - all of which fall under the guideline of "highly disruptive fouls". In hurling there are up to 16 red card and nine black card offences and 13 red plus nine black card offences in football.
Today's sanctions are considered the latest solution to ongoing disciplinary problems within the game. And rather than introducing the measures on a trial basis like the ill-fated sin-bin sanction in 2005, it is expected today's new rules will remain in place.
Red card offences include striking, kicking, stamping and contributing to a melee and will result in immediate dismissal. Yellow cards will also merit a dismissal but the player in question can be replaced by a substitute.
"Three years ago (GAA Director of Games) Pat (Daly) almost had it right but we shirked our responsibilities that time and didn't follow through with it," said GAA taskforce chairman Liam O'Neill at today's announcement in Croke Park.
"We've allowed our games to become cynical and we've allowed our players to get away with fouling. We've allowed our managers to essentially train our players to foul because it pays to foul in the present system.
"We're saying, enough of that. It is time to change and we hope our presentation will be seen at this point in time as an effort to clean up our games. Essentially what we want to do is reclaim our games from those who want to destroy them with foul tactics," added O'Neill.
A DVD and website outlining the new rules have been produced to inform referees, players, officials and supporters.