Cove Football Club vows to change culture after beating eviction amid sexual harassment claims
An embattled southern football club has warned troublemakers will be kicked out after a local council reversed a decision to evict it amid sexual harassment allegations.
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A southern suburbs football club granted a home-ground lifeline is promising to ban unruly members in a bid to clean up its culture.
Cove Football Club on Wednesday won a conditional 12-month lease extension after Marion Council reversed a decision to evict the Cobras from their home base.
Cove — which faced sexual harassment claims — will now launch an internal review aimed at identifying a troublemaking minority.
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Cobras president Tony Kernahan said the club was forced to accept it faced some behavioural issues within its fanbase.
He warned the club would not hesitate to “remove” anyone who threatened to undermine Cove’s future.
“Like any club you’ll have a percentage that are not compatible to where you want to go,” Kernahan said.
“(They’ll) be given an opportunity to either change, move on, or be removed from the club.
“I will not allow any type of behaviour to jeopardise the future of the Cove Football Club and the Hallett Cove Sports and Community Centre.
“We will not tolerate those within our club whose values are incompatible with the Cove Cobras and threaten the future of our beloved club.”
The council evicted Cove from its Lonsdale Highway home last month after an independent two-month investigation found it had a “culture of inappropriate and intimidating behaviour’’.
Two netball clubs, a cricket club, BMX club and a soccer club also share the sports hub.
The investigation found other clubs had stopped using the clubrooms “because they feel unwelcome or unsafe”.
Councillors met on Tuesday night to discuss overturning the original ruling after the football club collected more than 6000 signatures urging elected members to reconsider the decision.
The new verdict, voted in unanimously, was made public on Wednesday.
Kernahan said the process had taken a toll on him and the committee but he was proud of the club and its members.
“I love the club, it’s a family, so we’ve just got to deal with it,” he said.
“The council has given us a great opportunity, so let’s take that.”
Marion Council chief executive Adrian Skull told Cove the lease would come with conditions centred on improving the club’s culture.
They included a heavy focus on alcohol consumption at A-grade men’s games, and better access to clubrooms for co-tenant teams.
Skull said details of the investigation would remain confidential to protect those who made the allegations against Cove.
“There’s no doubt some of them will be disappointed,” Skull said.
“But we need to assure them there’s going to be change in the Cove Cobras Football Club that’s going to be a benefit to them.”
The council will review the Cobras’ progress in July.
Cove Soccer Club president David Brain said members would “continue to work closely with all sporting codes and associations that utilise the sporting complex to ensure that above all, persons from all walks of life … can enjoy and feel safe to enjoy these facilities and the sports it hosts.”
The Messenger has contacted the two netball clubs, cricket club and BMX club for comment.