Police investigating wild Showdown brawl that went viral on social media
UPDATED: A Port Adelaide player is choosing not to take further action after being subjected to racial taunts from the crowd at Adelaide Oval during Saturday night’s Showdown 42.
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A PORT Adelaide player is choosing not to take further action after being subjected to racial taunts from the crowd at Adelaide Oval during Saturday night’s Showdown 42.
The unidentified Power player did not hear the remarks from the crowd during the match, but he and the Port Adelaide Football Club became aware of the sledging after the derby with the Crows.
The comments were heard — and referred to the player and AFL club — by a well-credentialed football authority.
It has also emerged a fan was evicted from the ground after making a racist remark about Crows star Eddie Betts.
The comment was referred to the oval’s text hotline and the woman was removed.
Power assistant coach Brendon Lade said such behaviour should not be tolerated.
He endorsed fans being held to account for their actions as the applause for the football onfield was tainted by shocking behaviour from both the Port Adelaide and Crows supporter bases.
“There is no place in society for that,” Lade said.
“We have all the rules in place for players and it should be pretty similar for supporters and other people as well. It is not acceptable.”
Crowd behaviour at Adelaide Oval after the Showdown has drawn widespread condemnation after the release of video of fights at the Oval at the end of Adelaide’s 17-point win.
SA Police confirmed they were investigating vision of the wild brawl that went viral on social media.
“Police are examining the vision of an incident on the hill at the northern end of Adelaide Oval shortly after the completion of the AFL match between Port Adelaide and Adelaide,” a police spokesman said.
No arrests or reports have so far been made.
The shocking video showed at least a dozen footy fans punching, kicking, pushing, grappling and verbally abusing each other.
At one point in the video, a male grabs another male by his shirt, yanking him backwards and pulling his shirt over his head and ripping the Port scarf from his neck.
Port Adelaide Football Club is awaiting an official report into the fight before it decides if it will take any action against those involved.