An Australian-Croatian TV host commented on the “embarrassing and terrible” actions taken by certain Sydney United supporters during the Welcome to Country and Nazi Salutes during the Australia Cup final.
The most recent prominent presenter, athlete, and analyst to condemn the awful performance seen by tens of thousands of fans on Saturday night is Lucy Zeli, who most recently presented sports for SBS.
At the game, several United supporters—formerly Sydney Croatia—were overheard shouting Za Dom Spremni, a cry used by the far-right Ustase movement in the 1930s and 1940s.
Social media users circulated disturbing pictures and videos that purported to show spectators giving Nazi salutes throughout the game.
Before the match versus Macarthur, some could be heard during the customary Welcome to Country and the national song chanting and reportedly booing.
On Sunday, Zeli used Twitter to denounce the disrespectful actions of “so-called supporters” who marred the game at Sydney’s Commbank Stadium.
I didn’t want to accept what occurred at last night’s @AustraliaCup Final since it was so surprising and upsetting, she tweeted.
It was the first time I had ever felt ashamed of my countrymen, and I wasn’t the only one. Similar to how supporters’ activities are never really indicative of a football team, their opinions and behavior do not accurately reflect those of Croatians.
What’s more, many of them looked to be teens who lacked understanding of the gravity of their conduct.
Zeli claimed that she had seen prejudice firsthand and had heard the phrase “f**k of back to Croatia wog” often.
She said that since Australia had always seemed like home, this had puzzled her.
The writer said that in addition to ‘facing the full arm of the law,’ supporters who were found guilty of the Nazi salutes should also get lifelong bans from all future games.
More crucially, she advocated requiring fans to finish a “history education course,” in which they would see images of Nazi concentration camps and hear Holocaust survivors’ testimonies.
She wrote, “I’m so glad our football community spoke out to denounce the behaviors and hold individuals accountable, but language surrounding this is equally crucial and can be as polarizing as it can be uniting.
“Celebrating our history and tradition will never trump that because there is a place at the table for everyone,” football has taught us.
As supporters attack misbehaving fans for leaving a “nasty mark” on the community, the presenter slams those who “disrespected” what was intended to be a historic occasion in Australian football.
One user responded to Zeli’s tweets by saying, “This has been a typical occurrence during matches involving Croatian clubs – watch Dinamo supporters in Milan just recently.”
“It seems like football fans have adopted this behavior.” Unfortunately, renowned sports writers fail to call it out when it needs to be.
Others condemned the behavior on Sydney United’s Instagram.
One person said, “Should be embarrassed for booing the Welcome to Country.”
You have images of some of your admirers; please take action! Making Croatians look horrible,” stated another.
“I was totally behind Sydney last night; who doesn’t enjoy a good underdog tale?” The Welcome to Country started after that, a fan reported on Facebook.
“The booing and Nazi signs being thrown by some were a complete shame!” After that performance, I’m glad they lost.
Another person remarked, “A really sad day for Australian football and its loyal fans.”
“The club ought to get a harsh punishment.” Refusing their membership would be a good place to start.
In a statement, Football Australia criticized the “behaviour of select people” on Sunday.
Sydney United 58 FC issued a statement saying that it “has zero tolerance for any type of disrespect, racism, or prejudice” and that it was cooperating closely with law enforcement to launch a thorough investigation.
The club is devoted to fostering a polite, welcoming atmosphere that also enables the people of our community to commemorate their history in a significant and responsible manner.
“Those who do not agree with these ideals are not welcome at Sydney United 58 FC and their opinions will never be accepted,” the statement reads.
Numerous prominent people have condemned the rude behavior shown by certain Sydney United fans.
According to Darren Bark, chief executive of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, “These repulsive emblems and salutes have no place in contemporary Australian society.”
“They are the pinnacle of evil,” one person said, “the wickedness that resulted in the slaughter of millions of innocent citizens during WWII, including six million Jews and thousands of Australian Diggers who died fighting the Nazis.”
Craig Foster, a former United player and current Australia international, denounced the behavior in a tweet, calling it a “horrific show of racial hatred.”
“A very tiny proportion of guests participated in behavior that is not compatible with Football Australia’s standards and broader community expectations,” Football Australia said in a statement.
The organization said that eight persons were removed from the stadium and that actions were taken during the game to handle certain “isolated behaviors.”
According to the statement, “Football Australia is working closely with the management of CommBank Stadium and NSW Police to decide robust and prompt action on any recognized anti-social behavior, which may also be regarded to be criminal in the state of NSW.”