FA investigating Nazi salute at A-League match
By Tom Decent
Football Australia has launched an investigation after a spectator was caught on camera performing what appears to be a Nazi salute at Saturday’s A-League derby between the Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC.
In a video on social media, taken from Channel 10’s coverage, a man can be seen giving a middle-finger salute before raising his right hand at Allianz Stadium.
Sydney FC booked their finals spot with a 2-1 victory after a 97th-minute winner from Jaiden Kucharski.
Legislation passed through the NSW parliament in mid-2022 makes it illegal to perform a Nazi salute.
An FA spokesperson confirmed to this masthead it was aware of the incident and had launched an investigation. No timeline has been provided on how long it will take.
NSW Police have been contacted for comment.
A man appears to give a Nazi salute at an A-League match on Saturday in Sydney. Credit: Channel 10
It is not the first time a soccer fan has been accused of performing a Nazi salute in Australia.
Earlier this month, three fans were charged by police for displaying a Nazi symbol in public without a reasonable excuse at the Australia Cup final between Sydney United 58 FC and Macarthur FC at CommBank Stadium in October 2022.
All three pleaded not guilty.
One of the men was handed a lifetime ban from FA, meaning he cannot attend games sanctioned by the governing body, including all national team, A-League, NPL and Australia Cup fixtures.
FA chief executive James Johnson wrote an open letter saying he was “shocked and concerned” by some of the conduct that emerged from the cup final in 2022.
More to come