Football Federation Australia announces new fan banning procedure

Football Federation Australia (FFA) has announced a new set of procedures to cover cases where fans are banned for bad behaviour, including an appeals process against such bans.

Following a promised review of the unpopular previous banning procedure triggered by fan boycotts late last year, the FFA has announced the sweeping reforms it committed to in principle late last year.

The move follows a series of incidents at A-League matches, and controversy over the lack of an existing appeals process to cover the 198 fans currently banned by the FFA.

As part of the new more transparent policy, fans will be issued with an intention to ban notice communicating their alleged offences.

The accused perpetrator will then be allowed to see the evidence against them wherever it is legally possible, and make a written submission to be considered by FFA’s internal security committee.

If the ban is maintained, they will have an opportunity to take their case to the newly created Football Independent Banning Appeal Committee (FIBAC).

FIBAC will be made up of up to 12 prominent barristers and lawyers with no affiliation to any A-League club or player, and is to be chaired by Judge Rauf Soulio of the District Court of South Australia.

This body will have the final say on a person’s case, and can either uphold FFA’s ban, dismiss it, or vary the severity.

The new procedure follows an emergency meeting held between FFA and all 10 of the A-League club’s active supporter groups over what they saw as unfairness over the 198 currently banned fans’ lack of a right to appeal.

Those 198 people can now retrospectively appeal and have their cases looked at by FIBAC.

Introducing the changes, FFA Chairman Steven Lowy stated “(this) will provide a more comprehensive process to those facing bans because of anti-social behaviour, and delivers on the commitment made by FFA in its meeting with fan groups in December last year.”

FFA Chief Executive David Gallop said that the FFA is committed to continue working with police, venues and other third parties to break down legal barriers in the circumstances that prevent access to evidence.

Gallop said all parties, including active supporter groups, had been supportive of the changes. The only groups who did not engage in the consultative process were Western Sydney’s Red and Black Bloc and Melbourne Victory’s North Terrace.

Gallop added that discussions had been held on a flare management system for league matches.

The FFA issued a show-cause notice to Melbourne Victory over their fans' use of flares at the Melbourne Derby game against Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Saturday night.

Images: Melbourne Victory fans at Etihad Stadium (top) and Stephen Lowy (below).

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