Football Australia announce sanctions against Melbourne Victory, with more set to follow

Football Australia has announced a host of sanctions against Melbourne Victory, with more expected to follow as investigations continue following the pitch invasion at the Melbourne derby.

Bleeding Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover is rushed off the field during the pitch invasion at AAMI Park. Photo: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Melbourne Victory fans will be banned from attending their club’s Boxing Day match against Western United following the pitch invasion at last weekend’s Melbourne derby at AAMI Park.

Football Australia on Friday announced a host of sanctions against the Victory that will be in place until January 15.

With investigation continuing, further sanctions will soon be announced, including financial penalties, as the fallout from one of the darkest days in the history of Australian football continues.

“Whilst we continue our very thorough investigation following the inexcusable scenes witnessed at the Melbourne derby, Football Australia has issued Melbourne Victory with a series of strong sanctions which will need to be implemented to enable their participation in both the A-League men’s and A-League women’s competitions until a final show cause determination is made,” Football Australia CEO James Johnson said.

“These sanctions come into immediate effect starting with Melbourne Victory’s A-League men’s match on Boxing Day away to Western United, and follow the sanctions issued against individuals earlier this week as part of a package of sanctions in response to the incidents witnessed at the Melbourne derby last weekend.

“These measures are an essential step for Football Australia, as it considers further sporting and financial sanctions that may apply to Melbourne Victory in the show cause determination process.

“Football Australia does not wish to penalise football fans during this time; however, our priority is to ensure the safety and enjoyment of everyone within the venue on match days and that any unacceptable behaviour by spectators are not repeated at any football match or event ever again. We believe these measures will achieve this.

“Football Australia would like to acknowledge the cooperation of the APL and Melbourne Victory over the past week, and we are sure this will continue during our ongoing investigation, with a determination on the show cause sanctions to be made in due course.”

Melbourne Victory fans invade the pitch at AAMI Park.

However. Johnson said there had bene a reluctance to punish the Victory’s entire supporter base.

“There are many, many good Melbourne Victory fans,” Johnson said.

“We don’t want to punish those who really have nothing to do with this, and that’s the large majority of Victory fans.

“We will ensure that we continue to work on behalf of the Australian football community, to ensure ... that broader fans are ring-fenced from the action a group of certain individuals took.”

The sanctions imposed on Friday were separated into three categories for games until January 15.

For Victory home matches in that time, of which there is only one, a January 6 game against Brisbane Roar, the Melbourne club will be prevented from selling tickets to fans, with only valid club members able to attend.

Home and away active bays will be closed, and tarps must be applied to at least the first four rows of seating behind the goal line at each end of AAMI Park.

Tickets already sold to non-members will be refunded at the Victory’s expense.

For Victory away matches in Victoria between now and January, again of which there is only one, Monday’s game against Western United at AAMI Park, only valid members of the home team, and supporters of the home team who were in receipt of a ticket when ticket sales ceased at 11am (AEDT) can attend the match.

The away active bays to be closed and cordoned off. United will be allowed to issue up 1000 complimentary tickets to a list of individuals pre-approved by Football Australia.

For the Victory’s two away games between now and January 15 – a New Year’s Eve clash in Gosford with the Central Coast, and a January 14 match against Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium – only members and supporters of the home teams can attend the matches.

Away active bays will be closed and cordoned off, with the Victory to “discourage” the attendance of the club’s fans.

FA is also reviewing the conduct of some Melbourne City supporters at the Melbourne derby, with home and away active bays to be cordoned off at City home matches.

Victoria Police announced that 29 people had been arrested in relation to the events at the derby.

Originally published as Football Australia announce sanctions against Melbourne Victory, with more set to follow