AFL Goldfields have warned umpires will take a zero tolerance approach in a women’s league crackdown on abusive behaviour from players, coaches and club officials.
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In an email to clubs seen by The Courier, AFL Goldfields regional general manager Rod Ward said Ballarat Football Umpires Association and Riddell Umpires Association had been told not to shy away from using red and yellow cards or reporting on-field incidents.
“Over the past three weeks alone, our office has received an unprecedented amount of complaints relating to umpire abuse and poor player behaviour and it must stop,” the email read.
BFUA senior field coach Roger Le Grand told The Courier a couple of incidents this season had resulted in some female members reconsidering umpiring.
He said the poor behaviour included verbal abuse and a level of carelessness such as head high contact and tackles resulting in injuries.
It comes after Lake Wendouree women’s football assistant coach Darrin Wilson was handed a two-week suspension for unbecoming conduct, while the club was issued a suspended fine.
But Le Grand said the decline in on-field behaviour from female footballers had happened across the board.
He believed it came down to a degree of frustration from players new to the game who may have different expectations and a lack of understanding of the rules.
“We have young females who are umpiring that level of football in a lot of cases and they are learning the craft as well,” Le Grand said.
“They’ve been exposed to a lot of this poor behaviour and a considerable amount of abuse. At the end of the day, we as football followers miss out because the anecdotal evidence so far is the girls we do have umpiring for us are some of our better decision makers .”
Le Grand said the zero tolerance approach was the best way to ensure a safe and enjoyable environment for all involved in community football. And he was confident clubs would respond.
“I don’t think anyone wins when you’ve got situations where people are abusing each other or abusing umpires or someone gets injured,” Le Grand said.
Ward declined to comment when contacted.
CORRECTION: The Courier incorrectly reported a letter regarding concerns over behaviour in female football was distributed after Lake Wendouree women’s assistant coach Darrin Wilson was handed a suspension for unbecoming conduct.
The letter was in fact distributed on May 28, before the suspension. The match where the report took place was held on May 6 and the suspension did not occur until May 30.
