By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A DANDENONG Thunder under-13s boys team manager was been banned from attending Victorian soccer games for two years after being found guilty by a Football Federation Victoria tribunal of abusing a 17-year-old female referee after an underage soccer match.
Aldrin De Zilva, a lawyer and former FFV director, did not appear at Thursday night’s hearing and issued a statement rejecting the tribunal’s authority.
He stated he “totally” refuted the misconduct charge of directing “offensive, insulting and/or abusive language” at the referee.
The Journal believes the referee, Taylor Roberson, reported Mr De Zilva for labelling her as pathetic and accusing her of bringing the game into disrepute on 13 April.
Mr De Zilva, whose son plays for the team, allegedly made the comments in the referee’s room after the game against Goulburn Valley Suns in which three Thunder boys were red-carded by Ms Roberson.
In his statement, Mr De Zilva denies engaging in a discussion with Ms Roberson, who was in tears at that time.
Also at the hearing, Thunder under-13s boys coach Fitsy Ibraimi, 35, was banned from attending Victorian soccer games for six weeks for misconduct directed at the same referee during the same match.
“What he conceded he was doing was calling (the referee) biased and belittling her in front of impressionable 12-year-olds,” senior tribunal member Mark Goldblatt said of Mr Ibraimi.
The club was fined $5000 and the pair ordered to take a ‘respect and responsibility’ course.
Mr Goldblatt – one of three members who unanimously found Mr De Zilva and Mr Ibrahaimi guilty – said Mr De Zilva and his barrister Leslie Glick had treated the tribunal with “utter contempt… basically snubbing his nose at the tribunal.”
“His conduct in that regard is totally reprehensible.”
He disagreed with Mr Glick’s assertion that the underage status of the game worked in the accused’s favour.
“We’re not talking about Manchester United or Carlton Football Club – we’re talking about the under-13s,” Mr Glick said earlier.
Mr Goldblatt said: “It is the adults that set the example” for “impressionable young people” – particularly at underage games refereed by a minor.
From the hearing’s outset, Mr Glick requested Mr Goldblatt stand down from the matter, accusing Mr Goldblatt of making “offensive” comments about Albanian soccer culture at a previous tribunal hearing involving Dandenong Thunder.
Mr Goldblatt denied the bias and rejected the request.
At another point Mr Glick said he was thinking about making a bias application against Mr Goldblatt.
“Don’t threaten to make it,” Mr Goldblatt said. “Make it.”
Tribunal member William Lye told Mr Glick it was “not helpful” to “engage in warfare” reserved for the adversarial system.
“This is a tribunal that values its contribution to the soccer community. It wasn’t helpful to sit here with colleagues to see these fireworks.”
FFV acting chief executive Matthew Annells said the message from Thursday’s hearing was “FFV does not tolerate this kind of behaviour in any shape or form”.
“Referees are an extremely important part of our game and they deserve the respect of everyone in football.
“Fortunately, the overwhelming majority of the football family understand that and act accordingly. For those who don’t, this is the outcome.”
