DANDENONG Thunder was last week sweating on a make-or-break interpretation by a soccer tribunal, which could save it at least $40,000.
On appeal this month, the soccer club failed to overturn a 10 home-game spectator lock-out, loss of three competition points and $40,000 fine as a penalty for spectators firing rocket-flares at last year’s Victorian Premier League grand final.
The Football Federation Australia appeal tribunal reduced the lock-out penalty to “the first five competitive matches of the 2013 season” — but did not specify if that was for home or away matches.
The most favourable interpretation would cut the penalty to three home games; if it was five home games, the club would lose at least a further $40,000, club spokesman Sezar Jacupi said.
Even so, the club was still unsure of the cost of lost sponsors and members — on top of lost takings from lock-out home games.
“We don’t have a sponsor as yet; last year we had 10 or 12,” Jacupi said. The best-case scenario would be losses totalling $115,000 — well in excess of fines against other VPL clubs in recent years. The worst case would be $255,000.
Jacupi did not rule out a Supreme Court appeal to “save” the club.
“No club in Australia could survive a penalty such as this. It’s like strangling you. It’s not one knock-out punch but several. This penalty isn’t a deterrent, it has put us on death row.”
Football Federation Victoria chief executive Peter Gome said the decision reinforced FFV’s zero-tolerance policy towards anti-social behaviour.
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