GAA president Larry McCarthy has said the new ‘smart sliotar’ maintains the integrity of hurling while ensuring that child labour is not exploited in their production.
The sliotar contains a microchip in its core which referees can read using a mobile phone app to ensure that the ball is verified. The GAA first made moves towards standardising the sliotar in 2003, with many rogue products having been in circulation for years.
The new ball will be used in this year’s All-Ireland under-20 Championship before being rolled out at senior level next year. In practice, 24 sliotars, supplied by the GAA and verified pre-match by the referee, will be in ‘bins’ at either end of the ground for goalkeepers to draw from.
