Media Release | The Ballarat FNL recently suspended an Under 19 player in our competition for 4 weeks for racially vilifying an opposition player.

The purpose of drawing this to the attention of all Ballarat FNL Clubs is to remind all Ballarat FNL Clubs, players and spectators that racial abuse or vilification has no place in our game.
The AFL have worked hard to ensure that all players from all cultures are welcome in our game and the Ballarat FNL will do whatever is required to ensure that players, umpires and officials are free from any sort of on or off-field racial or religious vilification, or unacceptable abuse or criticism. It should also be noted that the Ballarat FNL has asked our Clubs to remove any spectators who are guilty of making such comments from BFNL games.

As a society we are not willing to accept this sort of behaviour, whether it is at the football, or in the general public and the Ballarat FNL is committed to stamping out such behavior.

The Ballarat FNL By Laws state:
• Any registered BFNL player who is guilty of racial or religious vilification of a BFNL player, official or spectator, or abuse based on sexual orientation, will incur a minimum
of a 4 week suspension. This suspension may be increased at the discretion of the Ballarat FNL Board and/or Ballarat Tribunal if they see fit.

It is quite likely that the player would have incurred a heftier suspension, however his actions in apologizing to the opposition playing group immediately after the game for his comments and the genuine remorse shown was considered when the sanction was applied.