Seven alleged Nazi saluters charged with bringing game into disrepute

Seven men linked to North Geelong Soccer Club have been charged with bringing the game into disrepute after allegedly performing the Nazi salute.

This Facebook post shows the alleged salutes at the Croatian Club.

Football Victoria has handed down suspensions for the group of Geelong soccer players and fans charged with performing Nazi salutes last month.

Six of the men, who were named by the Geelong Advertiser earlier this month as being charged with performing the gesture, all appeared on Football Victoria’s club associate suspension register on Friday.

Also on the list was Marijan Brnada, who has since appeared on the Geelong Magistrates Court list for a hearing on May 6.

All seven have been hit with MP10 charges, which Football Victoria defines as “bringing the game into disrepute”.

The penalties are yet to be decided.

Suburban Ultras Facebook page, which initially posted the image of the alleged Nazi salutes, also posted this image, which it claims to be North Geelong fans at the match against Geelong.

The North Geelong Warriors have also been hit with an MP5C charge, for failing to control club associates.

The penalty is a fine, but the amount has not yet been made public.

Luka Volarevic, one of the men charged with making the salute, was also charged by Football Victoria for another offence.

Mr Volarevic received a 12-month suspension for an MP1 charge, which is for engaging in misconduct and/or actions involving flares and/or flammable objects.

All the charges are from February 8, when the North Geelong Warriors played Geelong Football Club.

Geelong councillor Anthony Aitken, who attended the game, said he witnessed flares being lit.

An image posted by Suburban Ultras, the Facebook page which initially shared the image of the North Geelong fans performing the salutes, also posted an image claiming to show North Geelong fans lighting flares at the match.

Football Victoria was contacted for comment.

Police confirmed last month the seven men had been charged with displaying Nazi gestures at the Croatian Club in Bell Park.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 12 months in jail and a fine of almost $24,000.

A police spokesman said the charges came after an “extensive investigation into an image circulating online which depicted a group of men performing the prohibited gesture”.

“There is absolutely no place in our society for anti-Semitic, racist or hate-based behaviour and such activity will not be tolerated,” he said.

Police attained CCTV footage from the venue, which was understood to have been crucial in the investigation.

Originally published as Seven alleged Nazi saluters charged with bringing game into disrepute