By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
DANDENONG Thunder Soccer Club has lodged an appeal against a $40,000 fine and 10 home-game lockout that it says could wipe it out of existence.
The club had been sanctioned for misconduct after two young female spectators were injured by a rocket flare fired by a Thunder supporter at last month’s Victorian Premier League grand final. Four other flares were also launched by Thunder supporters from a stand’s upper tiers.
The appeal, lodged last Wednesday, will be heard by a Football Federation Victoria-appointed appeals board on November 28.
Spokesman Ronnie Mustafai, who stood down as treasurer last week, said the club would implore the appeals board to at least halve the number of home-game lockouts.
The 10 games would be closed to spectators, which could cost the club up to $100,000 in gate, food and drinks revenue. On top of that, the club stands to lose players, members and sponsors.
“It could definitely spell the end of the club,” Mustafai said. “If we can reduce the penalty, we can stay alive next year.”
Club officials have partly blamed security failings at the grand final venue AAMI Park for the flare launches.
AAMI Park’s venue controller told the tribunal at the November 8 hearing that there were only seven police on hand while flares were fired in the second half — 31 less than at the preceding A-League game. The venue controller revealed police command would not send its unarmed officers into the top tiers of the grandstand to hunt those launching flares.
Under questioning, the controller said security officers checked spectators’ bags at venue entrances, but did not perform pat-down checks. He conceded flares could easily be smuggled in spectator pockets or bras.
At the hearing, Thunder officials claimed FFV had days earlier knocked back an offer for the club to use its own ‘crowd police’.
The FFV said the security matter was “in hand”. The club had volunteered names of “two persons of interest” to police since the match. A police spokeswoman said Melbourne CIU detectives were investigating but no charges had been laid.
A FFV spokesman said the federation would not comment until after the appeal.
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