By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
DANDENONG Thunder has serious concerns for its financial future, looking shaky after a blow from massive “zero-tolerance” penalties imposed for spectators firing rocket flares at a grand final.
A Football Federation Victoria independent tribunal on Thursday fined the soccer club $40,000, locked out fans from the Thunder’s first 10 home games and stripped away three championship points for next season.
The club had pleaded guilty to misconduct charges, being held strictly liable for supporters firing five flares — including three rocket flares — during the Victorian Premier League grand final at AAMI Park on October 14 last year.
After the hearing, Thunder treasurer Burim Sulemani said the home-game lock-outs would deprive the club of its main revenue source — ticket and food sales of up to $100,000.
The fine wiped out prizemoney earned from winning the 2012 premiership and knockout cups, he said. “The financial punishment is extreme. It will seriously put into doubt how we will pay coaches and players.
“We once again condemn the firing of flares. We hope those who are responsible are brought to justice. Hopefully, they realise the effect they’ve had on the club.”
He said the culprits, if caught, would be banned from the club for life. The rocket-flares were fired by at least two Thunder supporters in the stadium’s upper tiers. One of the flares travelled more than 50 metres, punched a hole in an advertising sign and burnt two girls, aged 10 and 12, seated on ground-level.
Tribunal chairman Robert Seifman said the penalties reflected the club’s “unfortunate history” of misdemeanours, which have included spectators spitting at and abusing referees and firing flares in recent years. He said it was fortunate the two girls weren’t more seriously injured.
“The club doesn’t have one or two prior matters. It has numerous prior matters. It has to be understood that flares are unacceptable. It may not be entirely uncommon in Europe but it’s not tolerated in Australia.”
A lawyer for the FFV had earlier submitted to the tribunal that relegating the club to state league 1 or the “amateurs” state league 2 next season would be a “reasonable sentencing option”.
Seifman said the penalties were mitigated by its guilty plea, its efforts to identify the culprits and its co-operation with the police and FFV.
The tribunal also banned Thunder supporter and former player Festim Zekiri from attending FFV fixtures for two years. He pleaded guilty to using foul, abusive and insulting language at the federation’s security adviser at the game.
Another supporter, Vandim Ismali, who was at the game with his children, was fined $1000 for invading the pitch after a Thunder goal.
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