Geelong Advertiser

Wanderers get tough over banner

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WESTERN Sydney Wanderers have taken a hardline approach to fans who brandished Saturday night’s offensive ALeague derby banner, issuing bans and threatenin­g to shut down the entire Red and Black Bloc if they continue to see themselves as bigger than the club they support.

Under the weight of a sponsor backlash and impending FFA sanctions, the Wanderers suspended 14 members of their active supporter group – including some of its leaders – who were caught on CCTV sneaking the lewd tifo into ANZ Stadium and unfurling it in front of 45,000 spectators during the match.

The image, depicting Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold performing oral sex, was widely perceived as homophobic and sparked widespread outrage that only mushroomed after the Wanderers’ initially weak reaction.

As gay and lesbian rights groups called on FFA to come down hard, major sponsor NRMA Insurance conveyed its shock and disappoint­ment.

Long-term partner Western Sydney University went further, announcing it would remove its signage from all remaining A-League games this season “until we feel the club can demonstrat­e they have appropriat­ely dealt with this issue”.

The response from the Wanderers was strong, handing down club-enforced 18month suspension­s to the 14 perpetrato­rs “who have shown no remorse for their actions of bringing our club and the game of football into disrepute”.

The Wanderers also warned the rest of the RBB that any further blackening of the club’s reputation would see the active support area at home games shut down indefinite­ly.

That included on social media, which the group have used to celebrate the banner and verbally abuse those who denounce it.

“As a club we have had enough and have put the entire group on notice,” Wanderers chief executive John Tsatsimas said in a statement. “While the vast majority of the RBB are exceptiona­l in their support and actions for this club, we must remove all those who see themselves as bigger than the club they support.”

 ??  ?? Graham Arnold
Graham Arnold

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