Football Australia has handed A-League outfit Melbourne Victory a $550,000 fine and a suspended 10-point deduction along with several other sanctions as a result of the actions of the club’s active supporters during the Melbourne Derby.
$450,000 of the fine will be split between reimbursing Melbourne City up to $150,000 in damages, a fine payable to Football Australia of $150,000 as well as a suspended $100,000 fine should Victory supporters invade the pitch again this season or in the next three seasons.
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Additionally, the Victory must front up a minimum of $50,000 towards the cost of replaying the Melbourne Derby, which was abandoned after the pitch invasion.
In regards to their supporters, Victory cannot sell match day tickets to designated home active supporter bays, including both the North and South end active areas, for the remainder of this season.
FA has also put in place an automatic 10-point deudction for each time a “triggering event” takes place either this season or the next three seasons.
A “triggering event” was defined as a match being “suspended due to Club supporter conduct, the assault of coaches, players, match officials or pitch invasion by the Club’s supporters.”
FA Chief Executive Officer James Johnson described the scenes as the worst he’s witnessed in Australian football.
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“Football Australia has found that the Melbourne Victory Football Club, through the inexcusable conduct of many individuals who entered the field of play from the Melbourne Victory Active Supporters section at the Melbourne Derby on 17 December 2022, has committed a serious breach of our rules and regulations,” said Johnson.
“The sanctions we have issued against Melbourne Victory are the heaviest in the A-League era. These sanctions are reflective of our desire to remove this behaviour, and those that perpetuate it, from our game. They also form part of a broader response to this incident which has seen seventeen bans issued against individuals to date, including three lifetime bans, and preliminary sanctions against Melbourne Victory.
“The field of play is sacred and the safety of our players and match officials is paramount. Those individuals that illegally entered the field of play, caused damage, and verbally and physically assaulted players and officials, crossed the line. We have worked closely with Victoria Police to identify these individuals and will continue to do so to ensure those that those that display anti-social and criminal behaviour at football events are not involved in our game in any way.
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“I can sympathise with the vast majority of fans and the broader football community who were sickened and hurt by the actions of those individuals.
“The sanctions imposed on Melbourne Victory are a necessary step to ensure we create an environment where we place football first, and our community can enjoy matches.
“We would like to acknowledge and commend the actions taken by Melbourne Victory so far,” Johnson concluded.
Chaos ensued when more than 150 Victory fans stormed the field at AAMI Park during the first half of the game, with City goalkeeper Tom Glover allegedly assault by a man wielding a metal bucket.
FA had already handed out two life bans — one of which was the infamous ‘Bucket Man’ — and dished out several other bans on January 6.
As it stands, 17 fans have received bans ranging from a life ban to 10 years.
FULL LIST OF SANCTIONS
Financial Sanctions
$450,000 in financial penalties split between:
– A direction to the Club to reimburse Melbourne City FC (home team) up to $150,000 in damages caused to the venue and equipment by the pitch invasion and other unruly supporter conduct;
– A fine payable to Football Australia of $150,000;
– A suspended fine of $100,000 if another pitch invasion by the Club supporters occurs this season and three subsequent seasons ending 2025-26; and
– A direction to the Club to pay a minimum of $50,000 towards the cost of the replay of the abandoned game in April 2023.
Sporting Sanctions
– Melbourne Victory FC must not sell any match day tickets in the areas ordinarily designated within their home venue at AAMI Park as Club home active supporter bays, including the areas known as the North End active fans or South End active fans for the remainder of the 2022-23 A-League Men season at the Club home games – irrespective of venue – including any A-League Men Finals. This requirement represents lost revenue of $100,000.
– The first three rows of seats behind the goal at both the North End and South End, or equivalent if a home game is not played at AAMI Park, to be tarped off at all Club home games for the remainder of the 2022-23 A-League season, including any A-League Men Finals.
– In addition, rows A – J of Bay 38 at the North End, or equivalent if a home game is not played at AAMI Park, will remain empty at all Club home games for the remainder of the 2022-23 A-League Men season, including any A-League Men Finals.
– Any tickets already sold in these areas will be cancelled. Affected ticket holders to re-allocated seating by the Club to other parts of the venue in groups of up to four (4) people or refunded. Direct families of up to six (6) will be permitted to be seated together.
– No allocated Club supporter seating at away games. Affected ticket holders need to contact the Club to be re-allocated seating in other parts of the venue in groups of up to four (4) people or be refunded. Direct families of up to six (6) will be permitted to be seated together.
– No active fan concessions for megaphones, drums, and flags for the remainder of the 2022-23 A-League Men season.
– An automatic 10-point deduction for each instance of a triggering event during this season and the next three seasons, ending at the conclusion of the 2025-26 A-League Men season. A triggering event is if a match is suspended due to Club supporter conduct, the assault of coaches, players, match officials or pitch invasion by the Club’s supporters.