“In 2023, we have seen the biggest growth of player numbers since 2018, and with this growth comes the need for more volunteers and more referees,” a spokesperson said.
“It is simply not acceptable that children, young people and our dedicated officials are exposed to any form of abuse while participating in football.
“We stand with our fellow associations, FNSW and the wider football community to share the message of zero tolerance. We will continue to work together to stamp out poor behaviour.”
Holroyd Rangers Soccer Club have launched a ‘Hands Up, Stand Up’ campaign in response to the incident.
“Violence is never okay, it’s never justified,” a Holroyd spokesperson said.
“Before all our games we are asking not only our teams but also opposing teams to share the hashtag and take a stand against poor behaviour.”
Granville Waratahs President Noel Dona described the introduction of body cameras in Bankstown for MPL games as an extreme step.
“But provided anything recorded is only used for judicial purposes, I am inclined to support it,” he said.
“We always have at least one ground official on duty wearing an orange high visibility vest to keep things in order, but most importantly we educate our coaches regularly to educate their players and parents on zero tolerance [to violence] both on and off the field.”
