AFL Northern territory (AFLNT) is aware that a former member of the Waratah Football Club has been going to media airing grievances in relation to an NTFL-issued sanction.
Like all disciplinary matters dealt with by the League, AFLNT had sought to protect the person’s identity and privacy, but given the nature of the media contact we’ve been receiving about this matter, we’d like to state the facts:
- The person in question was overheard by officials from a non-competing third club making racial slurs at the end of the St Mary’s vs Waratah Men’s Premier League game in Round 12; the words were determined by an independent investigator to be racist and inappropriate.
- The non-competing club who heard the remarks reported the incident to the Waratah Football Club and AFLNT.
- Of their own accord, the person in question decided to resign from their position with the Waratah Football Club. The resignation came the day after the Waratah Football Club President wrote to the person stating that under the club's constitution they were giving them two weeks' notice of an intention to suspend or expel them for the offence committed.
- The Waratah Football Club Committee held a special meeting where it was determined that the person in question would have their club membership revoked.
- AFLNT opened an independent investigation into the matter, collecting information from witnesses and the person in question, who admitted to making the remarks initially reported.
- As such, the person in question was found to be in breach of the AFLNT Code of Conduct and Conditions of Entry and was issued with a Category 2 Code of Conduct and Conditions of Entry - Using offensive or abusive language (malicious, threatening or otherwise) 1st offence suspension of ten (10) weeks; which expels them from all AFLNT Events and matches.
- The person in question received a letter from AFLNT advising them of the penalty on Wednesday 20 February.
AFLNT commends the club who witnessed the incident and the Waratah Football Club for taking a strong stand against racist acts. There is no place for racism in our game and all reported matters relating to those that are not playing or coaching will be dealt with similarly.
AFLNT will make no further comment on this matter and support Waratah FC in its decision to do the same, thus remaining focused on the games at hand this weekend.
