JIM GAVIN PRESS conferences generally don’t produce anything earth-shattering, particularly his post-match duties following a routine win in Leinster.
For a man who has become known for providing drab answers at his dealings with the media, this was out of character for the Dublin manager. It was a Gavin press conference with a twist.
Dublin refused to engage with with the broadcast media in Croke Park today on a one-to-one basis and according to Gavin he’ll only answer questions with them in a group setting going forward.
He initially stated that it wasn’t related to the negative TV coverage surrounding Diarmuid Connolly’s brush with Ciaran Branigan after Dublin’s win over Carlow on 3 June.
“It’s not the reason,” Gavin explained in the media auditorium underneath the Hogan Stand. ”We’re talking to the media now.
“I’m talking to them (the broadcast media) here. I’m talking to them now in the auditorium. We just decided to change it up.”
Asked whether it was a difficult decision to accept Connolly’s 12-week suspension, Gavin went on to criticise how The Sunday Game and Sky Sports handled the incident in Portlaoise.
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“First of all, we can’t condone any player interfering with match officials whether it’s in the rulebook or not,” he said. “That’s the first thing we’d say. Diarmuid accepts he made a mistake and straight up he accepted the suspension. For my part, what concerned me was the way his good name was attacked before we even saw the referees report.
“Freedom of expression is one of the rights in the Republic but it’s not absolute. Each individual has his own right and I believe that his good name was affected by that.
Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
“We had the national broadcaster in their post-match review, both Pat Spillane and Colm O’Rourke but particularly Pat, read out a pre-determined statement which was disappointing. Particularly because both of them are teachers you’d hope they’d understand that people do make mistakes and that due process should be allowed before we become judge, jury and executioner in one particular incidence.
“We saw on Sky Sports the rulebook being read out against him.
“It certainly gained traction. It’s disappointing that that is the way it has gone, particularly in Gaelic games where the coverage has always been excellent and very balanced.
“In this case, I saw instances the same weekend and the weekend after of a similar type of reaction from players where they put hands on officials but yet there was no comment on it from any quarter so it is a very unbalanced approach.”
The Dublin manager felt the broadcast coverage of the Connolly incident contributed to his citing by the CCCC.
He also explained that Dublin received legal advice that Connolly could have been cleared if the case went to arbitration, but the player decided against it.
“It was my decision to pursue with the CHC and get their opinion on it,” Gavin added.
“We’ve received advice from senior counsel that if this went to arbitration the case wouldn’t hold but Diarmuid didn’t want that to happen. He just wanted to move on in the best interests of the team. That’s what he decided to do.
Gary Carr / INPHO
Gary Carr / INPHO / INPHO
“The bile and the malevolent attitude that certain broadcasters went after him with. An incident happened in the game and we need to let the referee’s report be issued and then we can reflect on it. Like I said, I don’t condone what happened and neither does he.
“He said it was a mistake but people really went after him and that is disappointing from the Gaelic Athletic Association and the coverage that we have had in this sport over many years.
“Diarmuid has put his hand up and said it was a mistake and he’s prepared to accept his suspension. From my part, I’ve a duty of care for the player and I firmly believe there was an attack on his good name. The freedom of expression and opinion – it’s an important part of our constitution and the Republic but it’s not absolute. You can’t attack somebody’s good name unwarranted and I believe it was on this instance.”
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TV attack on Diarmuid Connolly's 'good name' behind Jim Gavin's decision not to engage with broadcast media
JIM GAVIN PRESS conferences generally don’t produce anything earth-shattering, particularly his post-match duties following a routine win in Leinster.
For a man who has become known for providing drab answers at his dealings with the media, this was out of character for the Dublin manager. It was a Gavin press conference with a twist.
Dublin refused to engage with with the broadcast media in Croke Park today on a one-to-one basis and according to Gavin he’ll only answer questions with them in a group setting going forward.
He initially stated that it wasn’t related to the negative TV coverage surrounding Diarmuid Connolly’s brush with Ciaran Branigan after Dublin’s win over Carlow on 3 June.
“It’s not the reason,” Gavin explained in the media auditorium underneath the Hogan Stand. ”We’re talking to the media now.
“I’m talking to them (the broadcast media) here. I’m talking to them now in the auditorium. We just decided to change it up.”
Asked whether it was a difficult decision to accept Connolly’s 12-week suspension, Gavin went on to criticise how The Sunday Game and Sky Sports handled the incident in Portlaoise.
“First of all, we can’t condone any player interfering with match officials whether it’s in the rulebook or not,” he said. “That’s the first thing we’d say. Diarmuid accepts he made a mistake and straight up he accepted the suspension. For my part, what concerned me was the way his good name was attacked before we even saw the referees report.
“Freedom of expression is one of the rights in the Republic but it’s not absolute. Each individual has his own right and I believe that his good name was affected by that.
“We had the national broadcaster in their post-match review, both Pat Spillane and Colm O’Rourke but particularly Pat, read out a pre-determined statement which was disappointing. Particularly because both of them are teachers you’d hope they’d understand that people do make mistakes and that due process should be allowed before we become judge, jury and executioner in one particular incidence.
“We saw on Sky Sports the rulebook being read out against him.
“It certainly gained traction. It’s disappointing that that is the way it has gone, particularly in Gaelic games where the coverage has always been excellent and very balanced.
“In this case, I saw instances the same weekend and the weekend after of a similar type of reaction from players where they put hands on officials but yet there was no comment on it from any quarter so it is a very unbalanced approach.”
The Dublin manager felt the broadcast coverage of the Connolly incident contributed to his citing by the CCCC.
He also explained that Dublin received legal advice that Connolly could have been cleared if the case went to arbitration, but the player decided against it.
“It was my decision to pursue with the CHC and get their opinion on it,” Gavin added.
“We’ve received advice from senior counsel that if this went to arbitration the case wouldn’t hold but Diarmuid didn’t want that to happen. He just wanted to move on in the best interests of the team. That’s what he decided to do.
“The bile and the malevolent attitude that certain broadcasters went after him with. An incident happened in the game and we need to let the referee’s report be issued and then we can reflect on it. Like I said, I don’t condone what happened and neither does he.
“He said it was a mistake but people really went after him and that is disappointing from the Gaelic Athletic Association and the coverage that we have had in this sport over many years.
“Diarmuid has put his hand up and said it was a mistake and he’s prepared to accept his suspension. From my part, I’ve a duty of care for the player and I firmly believe there was an attack on his good name. The freedom of expression and opinion – it’s an important part of our constitution and the Republic but it’s not absolute. You can’t attack somebody’s good name unwarranted and I believe it was on this instance.”
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All-Ireland SFC Controversy Diarmuid Connolly GAA Jim Gavin Dublin