AFL Boss Sorry That Fans Are Intimidated By Authoritarian Policing Of Crowds

AFL boss and rabid virtue signaller Gillon McLachlan has apologised for the rise in fan ejections at Aussie Rules fixtures. Over the past fortnight AFL fans have been getting thrown out of stadiums for offences including supporting too loud and making what security staff deems nasty slurs against referees. McLachlan has denied that the AFL Administration gave any directive to police fans more strictly, but most supporters don’t believe this. The move is a massive shot in the foot for a sport whose biggest asset is its supporters.

AFL is easily the most patronised sport in Australia. Television ratings for the game usually score below rugby league – the other popular winter sport in Australia – but crowd figures at AFL games dwarf those at rugby league matches. Just last week Adelaide had 40,837 in attendance for their match with Richmond, Essendon had 44,846 v Hawthorn, and Carlton had 35,479 for their clash with the Bulldogs. Rugby league only draws crowds like this on special occasions or when the Brisbane Broncos are playing at home.

Thus a crackdown on fans is the dumbest thing an AFL administrator could do. McLachlan said, “I’m sorry they are feeling intimidated. If people are feeling threatened, we obviously will listen … I’m appalled.”

On Tuesday at a press conference the McLachlan refused to accept responsibility for the strict security presence which includes boffins patrolling the ground wearing Behavioural Awareness Officer vests. He stated that, “the security staff and the policing are left to the venues, but they’ve got a job to do to make our support staff (sic) feel safe. And thats what they’re doing, they’re trying to make our supporters and all the people that go to the venues feel safe.” As if to embarrass the CEO even more, footage emerged from the Essendon v Hawthorn clash capturing the moment an umpire had to warn one of the match security staff to get off the field as the over-zealous poor man’s police officer approached two players scuffling over the ball.

Some of the most controversial over policing of crowds included a Richmond fan being ejected from the stadium for calling an umpire a, “green maggot.” Meanwhile a Collingwood fan got the same treatment for barracking too loudly according to the AFL Fans Association. Another fan was ejected for calling the umpire a “bald-headed flog,” and waving his arms up and down spooking the official.

As a rugby league fan its been hilarious to see the AFL shooting itself in the foot. Also hilarious is watching the mainstream media pretending that they’re in there fighting for the fans. On the contrary it is exactly the likes of Gerard Whateley whose academic, left-wing intellectualism does not fit with the tribal energy and passion of the sports fan. As has been said before in Conservative Kookaburra articles, the rabid left is now increasingly seeking to infiltrate sport and indoctrinate sports fans with their depraved ideology.