A top Australian football club has vowed to ban “so-called supporters” for spouting homophobia at rival teams.
Adelaide City FC chairman Greg Griffin said Friday (11 March) in a statement on the club’s Facebook page that anti-LGBT+ fans are “no longer welcome”.
Griffin said that such vitriol is not only “embarrassing” but is also against the code of conduct of Football South Australia, the region’s governing body.
“The message is simple,” he explained, “you either play by the rules or you do not come.”
Nicknamed the Zebras, Adelaide City is one of Australia’s most successful sides. Competing in the National Premier Leagues, the tier below the A-League Women’s and Men’s competitions.
But recent matches have been riddled by homophobia, Griffin said. And while some fans have so far avoided sanctions, the FSA will work to identify and sanction those engaging in hateful conduct.
“I regret to say that each of the visiting Campbelltown and Cumberland players that have come to Oakden this season have been subjected to disgraceful abuse,” Griffin, a lawyer, continued.
“This is not something that the club will tolerate now being made aware of what has been said by so-called supporters of the club to opposing teams and players.”
As the abuse has piled up, Griffin warned that the anti-LGBT+ attitudes from some supporters were driving away younger footie fans.
“Every time some foul-mouthed supporter screams homophobic and offensive comments at an opposing player, the less likely the parents are to bring their children back the next week,” he explained.
“The future of this club is with our juniors and their families. They are the lifeblood of the club.”
It comes after Australian football club Melbourne Victory was slapped with a stiff fine over homophobic abuse directed at gay footballer Josh Cavallo.
The A-League club was fined $5,000 AUD (£2,650) by Football Australia after fans tossed abuse at Josh Cavallo when his team Adelaide United played Melbourne Victory on 8 January.
Cavallo, who in October became one of the only openly gay footballers playing professional top-flight football, decried the insults on Twitter.
“As a society, it shows we still face these problems in 2022,” he wrote.
“This shouldn’t be acceptable and we need to do more to hold these people accountable.”
Soccer team Adelaide City FC - which plays in the NPL South Australia - has taken a strong stand to try and prevent its supporters engaging in homophobic abuse at matches.
The club's chairman, Greg Griffin, has stated that homophobic fans are no longer welcome as supporters of Adelaide City FC.
In his statement, Griffin explained that homophobic abuse against opposing teams is against the code of conduct of Football South Australia, the league's governing body.
“The message is simple...” stated Griffin. “You either play by the rules or you do not come.”
The club's statement has been prompted by a number of recent instances of homophobic abuse being reported during Adelaide City FC games.
Although no individual fans have been sanctioned for the abuse, it's clear that the club is under pressure to take a stand. Another Australian club - Melbourne Victory - has recently been fined following homophobic abuse chanted by their fans.
“This is not something that the club will tolerate now being made aware of what has been said by so-called supporters of the club to opposing teams and players...” stated Griffin.
