Making sense of the Congress decisions

While a number of high profile motions were down for debate at this weeks annual GAA Congress which was held virtually, there were many others which have crept in under the radar.

Below are a list of motions that were passed in this year's Congress.

*Motion to change the end of financial year from October 31 to September 30.

*Team sheets gives officials in charge the right to sign team sheets instead of just club/county secretary or assistant secretary.

*Motion to give Council more flexibility on close season dates for GAA

*Joint Captains no longer allowed to accept a trophy and it must be accepted by a single captain.

*Player cannot receive a kick out from the goalkeeper and pass it back directly and a 13m free will be awarded.

*Inter-County league players must have completed an Anti-Doping course in order to play Championship and penalty is a one game suspension.

*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.

*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

*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.

*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.

*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.

*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

*It is now a foul to distract someone taking a puck/kick out or sideline

*Temporary substitutions for head injuries now permitted

'*World GAA' term introduced as part of GAA’s Aims and Ethos in the Official Guide.

*World GAA to submit a maximum of one motion to Annual Congress each year

*One representative from World GAA to sit on Central Council

*Central Council power to decide what geographical area falls under the jurisdiction of World GAA.

*Outline powers and responsibilities of World GAA

*Central Council have power to appoint Chairperson of World GAA

Team-sheets to also include official in charge

Clubs to adopt official club constitution

County Hearings Committees can adjudicate disciplinary matters arising under the jurisdiction of the Executive Committee of a Club within the County.

Provincial conventions must be held by January 18

Players will be able to play for club/county for either parents' catchment area at time of birth

New definition of category of misconduct in terms of playing infractions

Evidence older than 96 can be submitted in hearing is sufficiently serious

No appeal from outside a county regarding decision of County Hearing committee

Any proposed playing rules motions must first be referred to Standing Committee for assessment