Leichhardt Lions have fought back at Football Queensland following an investigation
A Far North Queensland football club has hit back at Football Queensland after being handed down a hefty fine after an “honest mistake”. FIND OUT HOW THE CLUB RESPONDED
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A Far North Queensland football club has hit back at Football Queensland after being handed down a hefty fine after an “honest mistake”.
Football Queensland investigated Leichhardt Lions Football Club following the club playing three ineligible players during the preliminary final against Mareeba Bulls.
Leichhardt Lions received a fine of $1,000, have been docked five points in the FQPL Mens 2025 season and excluded from the 2025 Champions League.
Lions president Jessy Mulla said the club risks losing players.
“It is totally harsh, not being in the grand final, mentally it hurts the players, they were devastated,” Mulla said.
“Now that we have copped another thousand dollar fine, now five points, am I going to get these players back?
“It’s going to play on their mind, are they coming back? Are they going to enjoy football anymore because of this?
“They have done their punishment and now we are getting hit with more and more.”
The Lions defeated Mareeba 2-1 in the preliminary final on Saturday September 7 but due to fielding the ineligible players, Football Queensland overturned the result to 3-0 to Marreba with the Bulls heading into the grand final.
Mareeba went on to play Marlin Coast Rangers in the final the following week, going down 4-0.
Leichhardt apologised to the football community in the Far North in a statement on September 11.
Six weeks later, the club has received the full result of the investigation which Mulla doesn’t agree is ‘fair’.
The Lions will now start the 2025 FQPL season five points behind the rest of the competition and could now lose some of their star players.
“The competition is very close, a lot closer than what it ever has been,” Mulla said.
“So that plays on their mind and the players thinking do they come back and how does it affect attracting players and a coach.
“Because FQ are just advertising the fine on their website where I think it should have been handled as a private issue.
“But it wasn’t, it was advertised and that was why we put the statement out.
“And like I said, it was an honest mistake, we put our hands up and said that, but I didn’t think we were going to get this sort of punishment.
“It is just out of this world and there is a lot of people who are not happy with Football Queensland.”
Leichhardt have seeked legal advice on how to approach the situation after they were unable to speak to FQ after the fine was handed down.
It is understood the Lions had 48 hours to appeal the fine, to which FQ asked them to only respond via email.
It adds another financial toll onto the Lions who lost the chance to host the semi finals this year after hosting it for a number of years in a row.
“Financially, if I don’t get the players back, am I going to get a team for next season?” Mulla said.
“They took our semi finals away from us this year, that brought out the rule four or five weeks before the finals were happening.
“It was brought up at a meeting and I asked them where were the finals going to be this year?
“They said Endeavour Park and the clubs all rejected it and we usually host the finals every year and we usually make between $10,000-$13,000.
“We don’t have that this year because they took (the) semi-finals away from us.
“There is the fine we are getting, the five points and they have brought in a $4,000 nomination fee that we didn’t have before.
“It hurts the clubs financially massively, not just $1,000 and the players might not come back but even sponsors.
“Does this now put my sponsors off? I don’t know yet.
“It could be a lot of ramifications for me until I go and ask the sponsors if they are coming back for next season and they are very disappointed in what FQ have done to us as a club.
“I think we are an honest club, we work hard as volunteers and that’s all we are, we are volunteers.
“It is a very sad day for us and for football.”
The Leichhardt Lions will celebrate 50 years in 2025.
Football Queensland have been contacted for comment.
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Originally published as Leichhardt Lions have fought back at Football Queensland following an investigation
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