Two of the A-League’s biggest supporter groups will stage mid-match walkouts this weekend in what they say is a protest against Football Federation Australia’s (FFA) treatment of active fans.
Melbourne Victory’s North Terrace and Western Sydney Wanderers’ Red and Black Bloc announced the plans in separate statements on Facebook late on Tuesday afternoon, continuing the furious reaction from the football community to a News Corp Australia report naming and shaming 198 people banned from A-League matches.
Both groups say at a specific moment during their team’s matches – Victory face Adelaide United on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium, while the Wanderers take on the Mariners at Central Coast Stadium the next day – they will simply stop cheering and walk out of the stadium, and will continue to do so until a “resolution” is reached.
This could involve around 2000 fans at each match – the regular supporter group turnout for home fixtures and potentially as many for the Wanderers who only have to travel up the coast.
“Some things are bigger than one match of football. We cannot continue to ignore the situation where our basic rights are trodden on and our banned supporters are left in the dark,” the North Terrace’s statement read.
The North Terrace even went on to list their three demands of the FFA – that the governing body condemns the News Corp report, launch an investigation into how the list of banned fans was leaked, and introduce an “independent and transparent” appeals process for those supporters who feel they have been banned unfairly.
Currently, FFA is able to issue bans as it sees fit with no avenue to appeal, which has long been a source of fan discontent.
It’s understood that several of those named and pictured in News Corp publications are considering legal action for defamation. While the news group described the list as a “football shame file”, not all of those listed were for violent conduct.
The Red and Black Bloc pointed the blame for the privacy breach squarely at FFA, and claimed some of those banned were not even at the events at which they allegedly engaged in anti-social behaviour.
“There are rumours of how the leak eventuated but, nonetheless, the FFA cannot avoid being held accountable,” their statement read.
“This confidential information falls under the FFA’s jurisdiction, and they are complicit in it being exposed.
“People’s lives and livelihoods have been jeopardised due to the existence of a list that has been created without due process. Many of these fans, some of which are under 18, have not been charged or convicted of offences.”
“The FFA’s silence is deafening. They have treated fans with contempt once again, and active support around the country is standing up to a corporation that sees itself as above the law.
“A disgraceful organisation, from the top down.”
FFA has stayed largely silent since the report, so far only issuing a one-sentence statement from A-League head Damien de Bohun on Monday reserving its right to have “strong banning processes and robust security planning” in order to keep football’s “true fans” safe.
Brick Tamland of the pants party
Guest
Instead of mass walkouts this weekend i think the NT and RBB should organize a massive fight outside the stadium when they meet in a couple of weeks. Except when they meet up and the awaiting media is there camera in hand ( set to landscape of course ) they could do something like this and we could all have a giggle https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kG9j5Io6yw
Kaks
Roar Guru
Probably when they are 4-0 down ;) In all seriousness though, I'm glad the Yellow Army are supporting the demonstration. Hopefully the FFA take their thumb out of their.... after this weekend.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Proper statement from a man who obviously cares.
Punter
Guest
There is a lot of passion!!!!
AZ_RBB
Guest
CCM's active support, Yellow Army, will be walking out as well on Sunday afternoon. Probably not at the same time but at least at some point of the match.
marron
Roar Guru
Great statement.
AZ_RBB
Guest
In contrast, WSW's CEO has released a much better statement. https://t.co/jytMNFkC70
CG2430
Guest
Correct, Kaks. Rebecca Wilson is not employed to promote Australian football; David Gallop, Damien De Bohun, et al are - and they are failing miserably.
Waz
Guest
Fuss or whoever you are? The planned walkout is taking a stance on something ... how about a walkout every time someone rips a flare then? There in lies the inconsistency in all this - if active support feel strongly they will protest, if someone else feels strongly then they won't. Why don't you google "skin burns from flares" and look at some of the images, why don't you track down the kid who had his hands and legs scarred for life when someone threw a flare last season? There's a compromise in here somewhere but right now the leagues at risk of imploding and a minority of fans are leading the charge!
CG2430
Guest
As will I, as a CCM supporter in solidarity with they and also a relative of mine who was unjustly banned.
TK
Guest
Hey phil thanks. I accept ffa make the initial decision but they must then have to tell people so any ban can be implemented - presumably through ticketing merchant systems or at the least gate security managers? Despite the best conditions and legal requirements associated with maintaining secrecy of this info the reality is that if somebody breaches ffa conditions of use of this info there is little that can be done to identify who or claw the info back... this stuff happens all the time....and I would hope ffa are looking at how this happened but may not be saying so - no matter how frustrating this may be for fans and appear to be a lack of action.
TK
Guest
Uncle Junior I agree. Just aids the agenda if fans adopt their own voluntary walk out. Cutting off our nose to spite the face of football
AZ_RBB
Guest
Gallop has responded by not addressing a single one of the concerns raised by fans aside from saying they didn't leak the list. The sad thing is he doesn't even seem concerned that the list was leaked. Appalling leadership.
Serg
Guest
A league is imploding
Philip Coates
Roar Guru
TK, it is the FFA who decide on the banning orders and they are the only ones who initially know who all the people are. The information is confidential to them. If they pass it on it it their responsibility to ensure that it is provided only to others on a need-to-know basis and the other people they give it to should also treat it with the same confidentiality. If it leaked from FFA HQ or from somewhere else it is FFA's responsibility to find out how and why this occurred and to take action against those responsible.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Precisely Philip. I dont want to walk out, I want to watch football - but I feel like something needs to be done now so that we can move on properly.
Uncle Junior
Guest
What exactly do you mean let's make a stance on flares? If you think Joe Citizen can take a stance against flares & the flares will stop being lit, then how about Joe Citizen apply taking a stance on really important issues: domestic violence, assaults in the streets, bigotry against minorities, etc. to stop this type of behaviour in society? The truth is people will always break the law. It's Governments to create laws that can be enforced by the police. If a law is being continually broken with impunity whilst police are present, it tells us a bit about the law & the ability to enforce the law.
Philip Coates
Roar Guru
Kaks and AZ-RBB, I think you are 100% right. As i wrote in my piece today, this has nothing to do really with Wilson, Jones or those 'supporters' guilty of offences and correctly banned. The argument is with the FFA failing to stand up for football and ALL football fans. I hope the others here and at the games get that message. No-one supports law breaking but even football fans have civil rights - one of which is to be able to appeal against a sanction against you - another of which is to protect confidential information. The FFA have let down all football fans with their silence on the matter. Philip
Waz
Guest
Exactly - delay this "walkout" protest for a month or so; tell the ffa you're going to do it (pick the derby match to do it?) and give or find time to resolve things, but seperate this weeks rubbish from this protest. You might pick up support as well. Also, let's make a stance on anti-social behaviour and flares as well - the ffa (and some other fans view as well) is that certain active blocks aren't cooperating on anti-social behaviour, prove the doubters wrong!
AR
Guest
I agree 70s. As a response to the DT article, the fans have chosen a protest directed at the FFA (for its perceived failures), rather than against News Corp. Whilst the intention is to generate a symbolic show of unity and support for active fans, I don't see how a walk-out advances the cause of the ALeague or its fans.