Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has criticised the GAA's disciplinary system, insisting he and his Tyrone team have become victims of 'trial by TV' following the recent suspensions to two key players.
Tommy McGuigan was recently handed a four-week ban after he was caught on camera striking Derry's Sean Marty Lockhart in their televised NFL clash on 28 March, although he does plan to appeal.
That followed the lengthy six-week ban imposed on Ryan McMenamin for his clash with Kerry's Paul Galvin earlier in the season, and Harte now believes his side have been specifically targeted by the Central Competitions Control Committee (CCCC) in the latest clampdowns.
Speaking in today's Irish Independent, the Tyrone boss said: 'I would like to know what criteria they (CCCC) work under. How is it that these are the only two incidents that have been brought up?
'Do they look at every individual tape in fine detail? Do they ask every referee who has made a decision that might need to be reconsidered? Do they put that proposal to them and ask for another view? I'd like to just know exactly how that goes on. I wouldn't be sure that that is the case just yet.'
He continued: 'Maybe Tyrone have been more on television than other teams. But at the same time there are a lot of other teams that have got airtime as well.
'I can't say that it's some vendetta against Tyrone, but it seems statistically unlikely that the only two incidents that would merit this kind of consideration would happen to two of our players.'
Harte also insisted that discipline in the game is good and that the old rules system was well placed to deal with any issues that might arise.
'I think there is a problem with how it's portrayed (by the media),' he said. 'You'd think that the GAA, and football in particular, was in a total discipline crisis and it's not.
'There's so much talk about the rules and indiscipline and it's almost as if it's anarchy out there. That's not true. There's certain incidents that have to be dealt with and always will be.
'But look, 95% of what we're doing is good and positive and great to see. I think the game has moved on to new levels. I don't know why our focus is so much on discipline, discipline, discipline, cards, cards, cards.
'Let's focus on what is good about what we're doing. There's far more to talk about there.'
