Umpire assault: Police to probe incident at under-13 football match at Bonbeach
A FOOTBALL umpire was allegedly put in a headlock and punched by the parent of an under-13 player after a junior match at Bonbeach, with police expected to lay charges.
South East
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A FOOTBALL umpire allegedly assaulted after an under-13 game has also been counselled for “biting back’’ at abuse.
Police and the AFL South East are investigating the incident after an under-13 match in the Frankston District Junior Football League between Bonbeach and Frankston YCW.
Chelsea Acting Senior Sergeant David Quirk said that a man, a parent of a Frankston YCW player, came on to the ground after the game to remonstrate with the field umpire.
He said the man allegedly put the 22-year-old umpire in a headlock, tackled him to the ground and landed a couple of punches.
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An off-duty police officer involved with Bonbeach Sharks sprinted to the umpire’s aid and restrained the man until police arrived.
The 37-year-old man was interviewed at the ground and Sen-Sgt Quirk said he would be charged with unlawful assault and face court at a later date.
The umpire was not injured in the attack at Bonbeach Recreation Reserve on July 1.
The incident is the second one in recent weeks where an umpire has been assaulted, and comes just months after clubs were warned they might lose funding if they don’t deal with misbehaving parents as part of a new crackdown.
AFL South East region manager John Anderson said the league established that the umpire was assaulted after a verbal clash with the Frankston YCW bench.
He said the Frankston YCW runner would be sent to the tribunal on a charge of misconduct and the club was also likely to be penalised over the behaviour of its officials.
Anderson said the umpire had been “counselled for biting back with a bit verbal … he took out his frustrations a little bit’’.
“There had been some exchanges between the umpire and the coaching bench,’’ he said. “It was one of those situations where the coaching bench got a bit excited and the umpire himself might have returned fire a little bit.
“The allegation is that someone then came over the top. It was a fiery situation with an extreme ending, unfortunately.’’
Anderson said he was disappointed “something like this would go on at a game of under-13 footy’’.
“The behaviour this year across the board has been pretty good but we do find there is a degree of anger out there, people expressing their anger, whether it be to the umpire or players. It’s a bit of a reflection on society that some of these things carry over to a footy game. It defies belief, some of the incidents that are brought to our attention.’’