Bench breaches result in $5000 fine and goal difference blow for Sydney FC

Sydney FC has been punished for failing to abide by the A-League’s ‘under 23 rule’.

Steve Corica’s Sydney FC has been fined for breaching A-League rules. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

Sydney FC’s troubled A-League campaign has received a further blow, with the Sky Blues fined $5000 and suffering a hit to their goal difference for breaching competition regulations.

Sydney, who could drop out of the top six as early as Friday night, was issued with a show cause notice for bench breach in three of its matches this season.

In their 1-0 loss to Western United on February 23, their 2-1 loss to Melbourne City on February 26, and their 2-0 loss to Western Sydney on March 5, the Sky Blues breached the “under 23 rule”.

The rule states that when clubs elect to have seven players on the bench, as Sydney did for those three games, at least three of the players have to have been eligible to play for the Australian national teams and have been born on or after January 1 1998.

Sydney was punished by the Australian Professional Leagues, for breaching the rule in the losses to Western United and Melbourne City.

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However, the Sky Blues escaped sanction for the same offence in the loss to Western Sydney after the APL conceded it had been slow in identifying the club’s initial breach.

As a result, the results in Sydney’s matches against Melbourne City and Western United have been changed to 3-0 losses to the Sky Blues.

“These rules were put in place to ensure young Australian players receive as many playing opportunities as possible, and so it’s important that we ensure they are observed,” A-League commissioner Greg O’Rourke said.

“It’s incumbent upon clubs to be fully aware of the eligibility requirements. However we acknowledge that if this had been picked up sooner then any subsequent breaches may not have happened.

“In the circumstances we deem a fine of $5000 is appropriate.”

Having accepted the sanction, Sydney has “put in place a more thorough process of checks to ensure no such sanction should be awarded in future”.

However, the Sky Blues also requested the APL to “strengthens its own processes so discrepancies are picked up earlier, rather than by rival clubs”.

Originally published as Bench breaches result in $5000 fine and goal difference blow for Sydney FC