A-League clubs could soon be punished for the actions of their fans, with Football Federation Australia exploring the prospect of deducting competition points from clubs whose supporters repeatedly misbehave as part of its crackdown on anti-social fan behaviour.
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After a public brawl in Melbourne's CBD on Saturday afternoon between fans of Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne Victory led to two arrests and left up to four people needing medical treatment, the FFA is preparing to adopt the most severe measures in its power in an attempt to ensure there is no repeat.
This means clubs could be held accountable for the behaviour of their supporter groups, with repeat acts of violence and other anti-social behaviour resulting in a deduction of A-League competition points as well as suspended points deductions.
A-League head Damien De Bohun confirmed that proposed strict penalties with an effect on results remained a real possibility as a means to deter negative fan behaviour and, if implemented, could come into effect within a matter of weeks.
''The events at AAMI Park in Melbourne on the weekend were totally unacceptable and we are urgently looking at the options available to us,'' De Bohun said. ''The ultimate sanction may be that competition points are put at risk by fans who continue to behave inappropriately. If that is the only way to get the message through, we will seriously consider it.''
If effected, the proposed punishment on clubs will not be popular among fans, but Fairfax Media understands the FFA has lost patience with the small minority of supporters that continue to light flares and attract unwanted attention.
The FFA have been in talks over the past two days following the brawl outside the Royal Melbourne Hotel in broad daylight and it is understood that it has agreed to eject fans from venues if they conceal their identity with masks, scarves or balaclavas. Already, any disguising of the face other than for medical or religious purposes is prohibited at games but the FFA will likely begin enforcing that rule more vigorously, beginning with immediate ejections for those who breach it.
''Authorities have raised serious concerns about the practice of some individuals concealing their identity with scarves and masks. We are actively considering how we apply our terms of admission in relation to this practice,'' De Bohun said.
Western Sydney Wanderers refused to comment until further investigations were completed and Victorian Police confirmed that more charges could follow once CCTV footage had been reviewed.
Two men from NSW have been charged over the brawl. Melbourne Victory issued a statement on Monday evening criticising the use of flares and other explosives at AAMI Park.
