The GAA will hold a special congress this May to debate the report of the Strategic Review Committee. Saturday's Central Council meeting took the decision to refer the SRC report to a dedicated congress rather than April's annual congress, which will be overshadowed by a presidential election.

Although a precise date has yet to be decided by the GAA Management Committee, sources indicate that it will be sometime in May.

Workshop sessions at April's congress will consider various aspects of the SRC report and the findings will form the basis for discussion the following month.

Also going before annual congress is a motion from Central Council to extend the All-Ireland football qualifier experiment by a further year to 2003. This proposal is intended to bring the football championship into line with its hurling counterpart as well as both the National Leagues, all of which are up for review after next year.

Other motions on the championship to go forward include the playing of extra-time, if needed, at the end of All-Ireland quarter-finals - as is provided for in the qualifier series; the avoidance of teams from the same province being drawn together before the semi-final stage and the provision of a 13-day gap for defeated provincial finalists before they have to play in the final qualifier round.

A proposal from the GAC to restrict teams' sideline presence to managers and other essential personnel was passed. "We had previously made the proposal that players and selectors move from the sideline into a special area in the stand," said Paraic Duffy, chairman of GAC.

"Managers will be allowed on the sideline. It was always intended that they'd have the freedom to access the line. He can be accompanied by the physio, doctor and a county official to take care of paperwork. Hurling teams will be also allowed a hurley carrier."

A proposal by Players' Committee chairman Jarlath Burns to allow all panel members to be included in the team group was defeated. Although Burns made the case strongly, there were reservations about expanding the numbers of players involved in league matches.

Ironically, the idea is already slated for further consideration, as the SRC report includes a provision restricting team panels for inter-county players to 30. Discussion of this proposal will not be affected by Saturday's Central Council decision.