On Wednesday, a fan who did a Hitler salute during an Australian football match was banned for life, with the sport’s governing body declaring a zero-tolerance policy for “offensive behavior.”
The man, who has not been identified officially, was among a group of supporters caught on camera during the Australia Cup final in Sydney on Saturday making Nazi gestures and singing far-right Croatian songs.
Football Australia announced that one spectator has been identified and has been barred from attending any future games sanctioned by the organization, including national team, A-League, and Australia Cup matches.
The governing board, which had previously used the term “Hitler salutes,” stated that the behavior in question involved a fascist salute or comparable gesture made during the game and shown on the host broadcast.
“At sanctioned events, Football Australia has a zero-tolerance policy for disrespectful and offensive behavior and will not accept behavior that has the potential to offend, insult, humiliate, denigrate, or vilify spectators, players, or officials.”
It went on to say that investigations were still ongoing in order to identify other people.
During the match between A-League team Macarthur FC and semi-professional Sydney United 58, formerly known as Sydney Croatia, eight persons were removed from Sydney’s CommBank Stadium.
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson issued an open letter to the football community, saying he was “shocked and worried” by the fans’ actions.
“Their actions have offended, injured, and degraded members of our football community,” he stated.
Spectators were also accused of disrupting an Indigenous greeting ceremony, which recognized Indigenous peoples’ connection to the land.