A Lebanese Muslim-dominated soccer club has withdrawn three teams from a league in Sydney’s south after a series of alleged brawls both on and off the field that sparked community calls for them to be kicked out of the competition.
Last Saturday’s games were marred by three alleged violent incidents, all involving the Banksia Tigers Football Club, including a brawl that erupted between players and spectators at Gardiner Park in Banksia during a match with Scots Lions FC that needed to be broken up by police.
Violence also allegedly broke out at an all-ages game between Banksia and Dolls Point, and at an under-15s match between Banksia and San Souci, and the incidents came after another alleged brawl at Peakhurst involving about 40 players and spectators at Banksia game last month.
Some locals said the violence associated with the club was so bad it was driving families out of the area, while others compared the situation to a “war zone” and complained about being called racist if they spoke out.
“It’s an appalling situation, there’s just a lot of violence that’s continually reoccurring every weekend,” Garnett Brown, who lives near Gardiner Park, told Nine News.
“We’ve had seven families move, couples leave, they’re just sick and tired of being abused by the club.”
The Banksia Tigers said on Thursday in a joint statement with Football St George it had made the decision due to a “loss of confidence in our club from the broader community”, but has also denied that its players were involved in the Gardiner Park brawl.
Footage of that incident shows Scots Lions players clashing with spectators, while Bankia Tigers players appear to stay on the field.
The Premier League Mens, AAA Mens and Under-15 A1 teams will no longer take part in the rest of the season, irrespective of the outcome of disciplinary investigations, the Banksia Tigers said.
Saturday’s incidents sparked renewed calls to ban the Banksia Tigers from the competition, with a online petition calling from them to be boycotted and kicked out along with neighbouring Lebanese club Arncliffe Aurora, which has previously been expelled from the St George competition.
“Another concerned parent who feels like its like going to a war zone every time kids need to play in Banksia or Arncliffe. Some measurements need to be taken to address this constant issue to ensure safety of all,” one petition comment reads.
“Islam is the common denominator. Australia needs to wake up to it,” another said.
“As someone who comes from this community, it’s incredibly embarrassing that we’ve reached this point. It’s disheartening that our community has come to this,” a mother wrote.
Similar comments were left in a local Facebook group, with one person complaining “if we point out the obvious, we are apparently being racist”.
“That’s what is frustrating, there is a pattern but we aren’t allowed to say anything,” another replied.
Others said that Banksia and Arncliffe weren’t the only problem teams, and claimed that violence was commonplace throughout the competition.
Header image: Left, one of Saturday’s brawls. Right, police arrive at Gardiner Park (supplied).
