Adelaide Venue Management chief executive Anthony Kirchner stood down amid Melbourne Victory fan ban saga

The venue boss of Coopers Stadium has been stood down amid the controversial and short-lived ban on Melbourne Victory fans.

The venue boss of Coopers Stadium has been stood down amid the controversial and short-lived ban on Melbourne Victory fans from next year’s match against Adelaide United.

In a statement released on Sunday, Adelaide Venue Management announced Anthony Kirchner had been stood down as chief executive effective immediately.

Adelaide Convention Centre general manager Martin Radcliffe has been appointed chief executive while a review takes place, the statement said.

On Thursday, an announcement declaring the club’s spectators would not be sold tickets for next year’s match against Adelaide United due to “violent and riotous behaviour that has become synonymous with this fixture” briefly appeared on the venue’s website.

The ban was short-lived with Adelaide Venue Management chairman Andrew Daniels quickly stepping in to claim the statement had been put up “in error’’.

Premier Peter Malinauskas weighed in, labelling the initial ban the “wrong decision”.

“The decision to ban an entire cohort of fans because of the behaviour of a few, I think, is wrong,” Mr Malinauskas said.

“We want Melbourne Victory supporters, we want Victorians and people from other parts of the country, to be able to come to South Australia and enjoy what we have to offer for a sporting event.”

Mr Malinauskas conceded there was a cohort of Victory fans “who have done the wrong thing”.

ADELAIDE United v Melbourne Victory at Coopers Stadium – A Victory fan is escorted from the field

“They’re the ones that should be punished – not everybody that supports Melbourne Victory,” he said.

“So the decision to ban all Melbourne Victory supporters because of just a few people doing the wrong thing was the wrong decision in my view and the government’s view.”

Adelaide United v Melbourne Victory at Coopers Stadium. Victory fans celebrate goal with a flare. Photo Sarah Reed.

ADELAIDE United v Melbourne Victory at Coopers Stadium – police presence before the game

The move comes just a day after Mr Kirchner doubled-down on his decision to ban Victory fans from the stadium, despite the controversial direction being overruled.

“The AVM Board was aware of my intended position on this matter and Chair Andrew Daniels had requested that AVM management show leadership on this issue,” he said.

“As AVM CEO, the safety of all concerned is my first priority, but I also have very specific responsibilities under the WHS Act whereby I can be personally fined hundreds of thousands of dollars or jailed for up to ten years if I’m found to be negligent.”

Victory fans are not strangers to engaging in controversial behaviour at matches across the nation.

Fans were involved in a high-profile pitch invasion at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium last year, which resulted in that match being abandoned.

Fans from the Victory active area stormed the pitch and Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover was struck with a metal bucket and injured.

Mr Kirchner highlighted a match last November at Hindmarsh Stadium to support his decision for the Adelaide ban.

“(It) was plagued with the usual violent and riotous behaviour that has become synonymous with this fixture,” he said in his statement.

With the views of Mr Kirchner appearing to be at odds with those of the Board, Mr Malinauskas said he had ”complete confidence” in Mr Daniels.

“I think most South Australians know Andrew Daniels – either his contribution in a number of fields over the decades,” he said.

“He is a highly accomplished leader in his own right and I have total confidence in him and his board to make the right decisions by the interests of the state.”

Adelaide Venue Management said no further comment would be provided at this time.