Football Victoria condemns Preston Lions fans over conduct at South Melbourne game

A professional football club in Melbourne’s northern suburbs faces calls to ban hardline supporters who brandished sexist and provocative banners at a match on Saturday.

Preston Lions, a club associated with the Macedonian Australian community, faced South Melbourne FC on Saturday in a state league match that resulted in a nil-all draw. Images from the game showed members of the Preston Boys ultras group holding a banner reading “anti-Hellass” in the stands. Other banners posted to social media contained profanity and sexist messaging about Greek women.

Football Victoria said one of the league’s “showcase fixtures” had again been “overshadowed by the abhorrent actions of a small group of individuals whose behaviour has disgraced our game”. The governing body said the actions of Preston supporters were “deliberately intended to provoke, divide and inflame”. The organization also said it was working with venue operators and Victoria Police to identify those responsible and “pursue every available sanction”.

Preston Lions condemned the banners and said they did “not reflect our club or the vast majority of our supporters”.

Pan Hellenic Women’s Federation of Australia president Georgina Papafotiou told the ABC she wanted authorities to ensure sporting grounds were free from sexism and ethnic vilification. “Parents should not have to explain degrading sexual slogans to their children at a community sporting event,” Ms Papafotiou said. “We also need education so supporters understand that passion for your club never justifies degrading women or vilifying an ethnic community.”

Another Greek Australian community member said he had formally complained to Football Australia over “sexist, ethnically derogatory, obscene and degrading”.