Sin Bin in Hurling & Temporary Substitutions – 2021 GAA Congress Recap

On Saturday, the first GAA online Congress took place with 47 motions up for debate. In total 37 motions passed with a number of seismic changes in the GAA landscape including the introduction of the sin bin in hurling and a change in the All-Ireland final dates.

Larry McCarthy was sworn in as the new President with John Horan’s term coming to an end.

Below are a list of some of the motions passed.

• In hurling if a player is tripped, struck down or pulled down by a hurley in a careless manner inside the semi-circle arc or inside the 20-metre line will be penalised with a penalty and a yellow card and 10 minute sin bin. In football if a player is fouled cynically inside the 20 metre line it will result in a penalty.
• Joint Captains no longer allowed to accept a trophy and it must be accepted by a single captain.
• Motion to have All-Ireland Senior Finals played before the 29th Sunday of the year meaning finals will be played in July.
• Winners of U-20 Leinster and Munster Championships proceed straight to the All-Ireland final with Galway and Ulster teams competing in Leinster.
• Players that play in Tier 1 senior inter-county hurling will be ineligible to play in the U-20 Championship after their team has been eliminated.
• Post-Primary All-Ireland Championships to be be completed by the weekend after St. Patrick’s Day and Sigerson and Fitzgibbon Cup shall be played by the 7th and 8th Sunday of the year.
• Player cannot receive a kick out from the goalkeeper and pass it back directly and a 13m free will be awarded.
• Only authorised medical personnel will be allowed on the field of play with breach of the rule a yellow card with red card offender having to leave pitch enclosure.
• Motion to give Council more flexibility on close season dates for GAA.
• Team sheets gives officials in charge the right to sign team sheets instead of just club/county secretary or assistant secretary.
• Inter-County league players must have completed an Anti-Doping course in order to play Championship and penalty is a one game suspension.
• Restoration of the Junior Football Championship involving British Championship winners and runners up, Kilkenny and native New York team.
• Senior Club Championships limited to 16 teams
• Players will be able to play for club/county for either parents’ catchment area at time of birth
• Rule dealing with racist, sectarian or anti-inclusion nature abuse will include match officials
• Teams starting a game with 13 players can now finish a game with 13.
• It is now a foul to distract someone taking a puck/kick out or sideline
• Temporary substitutions for head injuries now permitted
• If an aggressive foul is committed advantage can accrue for five second if referee believes goalscoring opportunity is on. Play can be pulled back for a free if no advantage accrued.
• New motion to deal with misconduct of team officials and suspensions will be match suspensions rather than time suspensions and will come in for 2021 All-Ireland series for inter-county and 2022 thereafter.