Andrew Demetriou backs Ali Fahour in fracas probe

ANDREW Demetriou has backed league executive Ali Fahour against allegations he attacked a spectator at a local game.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou has backed league executive Ali Fahour against allegations he left the playing field to attack a spectator at a local game at the weekend.

One witness has claimed a brawl took place involving 40-50 people and that Fahour, AFL national multicultural manager, left the field and struck a spectator.

The West Preston-Lakeside player has told the AFL he did not throw a punch and that he left the field because one of his brothers was involved in an altercation, and that his mother and father were in the vicinity of the fracas.

Two other witnesses told the Herald Sun no punches were thrown and they rejected claims of a brawl.

The match video shows Fahour's brother and a spectator pushing and grabbing each other and Ali Fahour running towards the pair from a pocket after kicking the ball from a free kick.

It has been alleged the spectator called Fahour a "f------ c---", before his brother became involved.

Fahour was sent off by an umpire after the incident and is being investigated by the Northern Football League for leaving the field.

Earlier this season, Ali Fahour was cleared of a misconduct charge after it was alleged he left the interchange illegally to involve himself in an on-field melee.

Demetriou said he was briefed about Saturday's incident. "To the best of my knowledge ... he hasn't done anything wrong," he said.

"He will be investigated, and from what we understand is true, I'll say, he's like many who work in this organisation who plays football on weekends and they get treated like everyone else.

"They need to abide by the rules under which they play but it certainly doesn't affect their employment."

Fahour and a West Preston-Lakeside official were interviewed by the league investigator on Tuesday night.

The umpires were scheduled to meet the investigator last night, and Northcote Park officials tonight.

Northern Football League chief executive Jeremy Bourke said suggestions of a brawl were "misleading and not factual".

Fahour is a younger brother of prominent businessman Ahmed Fahour, who is a friend of Demetriou.

Ahmed Fahour was chief executive of the National Australia Bank in 2004 when it forged a lucrative sponsorship deal with the AFL.

He is not the brother involved in the terrace scuffle.

Now chief executive at Australia Post, he is pouring more money into the game through a community inclusion partnership, funding Nic Naitanui, Bachar Houli, Harry O'Brien and others working as AFL multicultural ambassadors.

Ali's rise to the position of AFL national multicultural manager began at Essendon, where he worked as a sales executive while pursuing a career at Bendigo Bombers.

He worked as Essendon's multicultural officer before moving to the league.