By Riley Walter and Jessica McSweeney
A teenage boy charged with assaulting an opposition player during a junior soccer match has been banned from his club after the ugly incident that left his alleged victim in hospital.
NSW Police have charged the 17-year-old Blue Mountains FC player with assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he allegedly punched a 16-year-old Emu Plains FC player during an under 17s match at Glenbrook on Sunday morning.
The Blue Mountains FC player was taken to Springwood Police Station, where he was charged and bailed to face a children’s court on September 5.
The Emu Plains FC player was treated by paramedics at Knapsack Park before being taken to hospital with head injuries but in a stable condition.
The Nepean Football Association has launched an investigation into the incident and handed the 17-year-old an interim suspension, but Blue Mountains FC president David Smith said the player would be immediately banned.
“He’ll never play with us again,” Smith said.
‘While I’m at the club, he won’t be back here. I will never accept a membership from him.’
Blue Mountains FC president David Smith on the junior player charged with punching an opponent
“While I’m at the club, he won’t be back here. I will never accept a membership from him.”
Smith said the incident was “in no way reflective of the culture of the club or the people at the club”.
“I’m absolutely disgusted that it’s happened and I’m absolutely heartbroken that it’s happened,” he said.
Nepean Football Association chief executive Linda Cerone said the league had a “zero tolerance” for violent incidents.
“We don’t condone it,” Cerone said.
“Although it’s very rare, it continues to be a disappointing and worrying side of community sport.”
In a separate and unrelated incident, two western Sydney soccer clubs are under investigation by the local association after video emerged of players throwing punches and pushing each other during a frantic brawl.
The vision, captured by a spectator and shared with Nine News, shows the moment an Auburn District player is tripped by a Holroyd Rangers player. Nine reported the incident took place during an under-17s game at Rydalmere Park on Saturday.
Players push each other, with some ending up on the ground, as others get involved, while match officials try to intervene and spectators rush the field.
One Holroyd player appears to be hit in the face. An Auburn District player is held back by adults while swinging his fist.
Granville and Districts Soccer Football Association general manager Rosanna Lentini said normal disciplinary process would be followed.
A Disciplinary Tribunal hearing will be held on Thursday rather than next Monday because of the attention the incident had attracted, Lentini said.
“The panel will consider all the evidence sent to us and deliberate and make a decision,” she said.
In a statement, the GDSFA said it had a zero tolerance policy for disrespectful or offensive behaviour.
Holroyd Rangers spokesman declined to comment while the investigation was ongoing.
Auburn District was contacted for comment.
A NSW Police spokesperson said it had not received any reports about the Rydalmere Park incident.
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