A-League supporter groups keen to find common ground over banning procedures with FFA

A-LEAGUE chiefs and the active supporter groups appear confident agreement will be reached over the new banning procedures for misbehaving fans.

Fan groups seek common ground with FFA

A-LEAGUE chiefs and the active supporter groups appear confident agreement will be reached over the new banning procedures for misbehaving fans introduced this week, with no boycotts to be held this weekend.

Talks to assume common ground will continue next week but both The Cove and the Red and Black Bloc – the active fans of Sydney FC and Western Sydney respectively – have pledged to work with Football Federation Australia to iron out the remaining areas of contention, and expect to be able to do so.

It’s believed the fan groups are seeking greater clarity over the exact offences that supporters can be banned for, though even the RBB – arguably the most militant group since relations between fans and FFA plummeted late last year – called the process put forward by the governing body this week “a positive step in the right direction”.

Though FFA is confident it has met the promises made last December in a summit with the fans, the governing body said it was happy address “any queries” put forward this week.

“FFA has scheduled a meeting on Monday with a representative of the Active Supporter Groups to listen to any queries and clarify any concerns,” said an FFA spokesperson.

“It’s our position that the new Fan Banning Procedure is aligned with the principles agreed in the meeting with the groups in December.

“There are complexities outside the control of FFA, in relation to different State legislation, the operational procedures of police and stadia managers. We’ll explain these matter to the groups.”

Under the new scheme, fans who are identified as the culprits of antisocial behaviour will be allowed the see any evidence legally allowable, and will have the right of appeal to an independent panel of judges and lawyers.

Though the new measures have been broadly welcomed, it’s understood that all the fan groups want to establish exact ground rules at the outset.

The Red and Black Bloc are hoping the FFA can ‘alleviate their concerns.’

“We can confirm, that although this is a positive step in the right direction, there are concerns that certain points within these regulations do not align with the agreed outcomes of the meeting held on December 9th with all active supporter groups,” said the RBB in a statement. “This is unacceptable.

“In good faith, we have given the FFA the opportunity to work with all active groups to alleviate our concerns, and deliver a process that is both fair and equitable. We have been given a commitment by the FFA, that these issues will be worked on and attended to in a timely manner.

Boycotts will remain suspended while we work on these issues with the FFA.”

The Cove issued a similar statement, noting they had “identified a number of details which stop the process as written satisfying the agreed points from December 9th (when fans met with FFA CEO David Gallop).

“The FFA has agreed to work through these details and seek satisfactory solutions as a matter of urgency. No boycott action is planned by The Cove while this work is ongoing.”

Originally published as A-League supporter groups keen to find common ground over banning procedures with FFA