Government plans code of conduct for sports teams

NAOMI LEVIN

SPORTS teams that misbehave will have their funding pulled by the Victorian Government if they fail to address bad behaviour, including religious vilification.

Victoria’s Sports Minister and Minister Assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs James Merlino announced on Monday that a state-wide code of conduct would be implemented next year.

His department is drafting the code, which will be applied to all Victorian junior and senior teams. The code will cover violence, fair play and racial, religious, sexual and gender vilification in sport.

Merlino said: “Respect is a two-way street and it is everybody’s business — regardless of age or background — to ensure that people can enjoy themselves and feel safe when they are down at their local ground watching a local club or team.”

While the main impetus for the code has been recent supporter violence and abuse, it will also ensure all sporting teams are bound by racial and religious vilification regulations.

If a team breaches the code — for example by making discriminatory or prejudicial remarks about opposition players — it risks losing government funding.

During the past decade, the Victorian Government has given sports teams close to $200 million.

Over the past few years, the Jewish community has not been immune from bad behaviour both on and off the field.

In 2006, Menachem Vorchheimer was assaulted by members of a football team. In 2007, the McKinnon Cricket Club apologised to the AJAX Cricket Club after a few of its members made graphic anti-Semitic remarks against the Jewish club on the internet.

At the other end of the spectrum, the AJAX Football Club last year distanced itself from a supporter, who made racially insensitive remarks to an opposition player.