Football Australia (FA) has today handed down sanctions to Melbourne Victory FC that mandates our participation in the A-League Men’s competition as FA continues their Show Cause process.
This includes the following (from today until Sunday 15 January 2023):
Melbourne Victory FC’s Round 9 match on Monday 26 December v Western United
- Only valid Members of Western United, and Supporters of Western United whom were in receipt of a ticket when ticket sales ceased at 11.00am AEDT on Friday, 23 December will be permitted to enter the Venue;
- The away active bays will be closed and the APL will ensure away active bays are cordoned off and tarps are applied to section/s of the Venue that would otherwise have been allocated to Melbourne Victory’s Active Bay;
- An agreed number of club appointed crowd marshals will be positioned in the Venue;
- Melbourne Victory will refund any of our members who pre-purchased tickets and who are affected by these sanctions;
- Supporters of Melbourne Victory must not engage in any behaviour in breach of the Code of Conduct while attending the match.
Melbourne Victory FC’s Round 11 match on Friday 6 January v Brisbane Roar
- No daily tickets are to be sold;
- Only valid Club Members can attend;
- Melbourne Victory will refund any of our members who pre-purchased tickets and who are affected by these sanctions;
- Home and away active bays will be closed and will be cordoned off and tarps applied to at least the first four (4) rows of seating behind the goal line at each end of the Venue;
- An agreed number of club appointed crowd marshals will be positioned in the Venue;
- Supporters of Melbourne Victory must not engage in any behaviour in breach of the Code of Conduct while attending the relevant match.
Melbourne Victory FC’s Interstate Away Matches (Round 10: Saturday 31 December v Central Coast and Round 12: Saturday 14 January v Adelaide United)
- The away active bays will be closed and the APL will ensure away active bays are cordoned off and tarps are applied to section/s of the Venue that would otherwise have been allocated to “Away Active Supporters”;
- Only Members and Supporters of the Home Team will be permitted to enter the Venue;
- Melbourne Victory must use its best endeavours to discourage the attendance of all supporters of the Club, including messaging that the Venue will be restricted to supporters of the Home Team only;
- APL will work with the Home Team to refund any tickets which are associated with a Victorian postcode or to any person that they reasonably believe is a supporter of Melbourne Victory;
- An agreed number of club appointed crowd marshals will be positioned in the Venue; and
- Supporters of Melbourne Victory must not engage in any behaviour in breach of the Code of Conduct while attending the relevant match.
Melbourne Victory Football Club will comply with the sanctions handed down by FA and are working with all relevant stakeholders to ensure its games moving forward will be a safe environment for players, fans and everyone involved.
The Club will shortly provide members with further communication around the impact of these sanctions on its home match with Brisbane Roar on Friday 6 January.
The Club will also work alongside FA and the A-Leagues for a quick resolution to the Show Cause process so that all parties including the A-Leagues, Clubs, players and spectators have a clear outcome on the matter and we can move forward together.
Melbourne Victory would like to take this opportunity to again reiterate that the actions witnessed at last Saturday night’s match have no place at Melbourne Victory or in football. There is zero tolerance for any aggressive or anti-social behaviour at this Club and in this game.
