Melbourne and Olympic Parks are working on an independent review of the security measures in the aftermath of the violent pitch invasion and use of flares at the Melbourne A-League derby on Saturday at AAMI Park.
Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover was concussed and required stitches to a cut on his head after Melbourne Victory fans stormed the barriers and appeared to throw a metal bucket filled with sand at him. The bucket also hit referee Alex King, who suffered a cut to his head.
“In response to the events at the Melbourne derby on 17 December, M&OP is working with a specialist, independent security agency to undertake a review, and enhance security procedures at the venue,” a Melbourne and Olympic Parks spokesperson said in a statement.
“M&OP will work with the clubs and the league to implement enhanced security procedures to ensure a safe environment at all events at AAMI Park.”
Fans storm the pitch at the A-League Men round eight Melbourne derby.Credit:Darrian Traynor, Getty Images
The incidents led to the game being suspended at the 20-minute mark and later abandoned due to concerns over player safety. An estimated $120,000 of damage was done to the venue.
Football Australia chief executive James Johnson conceded the game “has an issue with flares”, which required addressing after a flare hit and injured a Channel 10 cameraman, and Glover and King were attacked after the former picked up a flare thrown onto the turf and threw it back towards the stands.
“The only way to effectively stop flares from entering the venue is to undertake a physical search of each person,” the Melbourne and Olympic Parks spokesperson said.
According to police, approximately 50 flares were lit within stands and three thrown on to the field. M&OPT disclosed seven flares were confiscated during bag searches on every patron at AAMI Park.
Additionally, bottles were also thrown at the public order response team on the field.
Johnson said there was no place in the sport for such behaviour, saying “those that participate in it will be weeded out”.
“That will give organisations like FIFA the confidence that we’re a code and a country that can deal with [crowd issues] quickly, swiftly and strongly.”
Western United are scheduled to host Victory on Boxing Day in another Melbourne derby at AAMI Park, but the clubs are waiting for Football Australia to sanction Victory.
The Melbourne & Olympic Parks spokesperson said they were waiting on direction from Football Australia and the Australian Premier Leagues, and the outcome of their investigation and sanctions, to determine security measures for the match.
Melbourne Victory have been served a show cause notice by Football Australia regarding the crowd behaviour over the weekend and have until 9am Wednesday to show why they should not face serious sanctions. It’s the club’s second show cause notice this year.
Sanctions may include an order to play behind closed doors for part or the remainder of the A-League Men season.
Victoria Police acting superintendent Jason Goddard has also issued a warning to those considering brining flares to games.
“It’s not the type of behaviour we need within the sport. It detracts from the code. It’s culturally wrong, its behaviour is straight-out criminal, [and] that sort of behaviour is straight-out dangerous,” Goddard said on Sunday.
Police said about 150 people were believed to have stormed the pitch and three men – a 23-year-old Craigieburn man, a 19-year-old Meadow Heights man and an 18-year-old Alphington man – have been charged after they self-presented to police stations on Monday.
A spokesperson from Victoria Police said: “Police are continuing to trawl through detailed vision of the incidents”. Anyone who was involved is strongly urged to make themselves known to police.
