Just when you thought we’d heard the last of living with restrictions.
The Latrobe Valley Soccer League made a stance against unruly behaviour last week, declaring that the match between Morwell Pegasus and Sale United was to be played behind closed doors.
Only players, coaches, medical staff and club marshals were permitted entry into Baldwin Reserve, Sale for the Round 9 clash on Sunday.
For players under the age of 18, one parent was permitted but had to remain in their vehicle for the duration of the game.
It is understood the drastic move came after chaotic scenes the previous week, in which referees were the target of significant abuse.
Despite the situation looming as an ‘impossible to police’ affair, by all reports the lockout match went ahead without any significant issues. The only major talking point was some people watching the match from afar, as they were technically not ‘inside’ the venue.
Unfortunately for Sale United, the situation meant they instantly lost revenue on gate, canteen and bar sales.
The timing could not have been worse for the Swans, who were also preparing a tribunal case involving women’s captain Zoe Askew.
In what was labelled an extraordinary move by the LVSL, the league slapped Askew with a five-game suspension, $600 fine, and docked the league-leaders three premiership points.
The punishment was handed down after Askew, also a journalist with the Gippsland Times, published an observation from a match she was reporting on regarding the conduct of an official.
The penalty has been seen as severe in the eyes of some, especially given the story in question was written while Askew was working as a journalist and not as a Sale United player.
Askew received widespread support in the days that followed the news breaking.
An analogy was made that one could only imagine the uproar if Collingwood or Hawthorn lost premiership points every time Eddie McGuire or Jeff Kennett said something controversial.
Askew’s work in helping promote local soccer in a positive light, particularly women’s, has surely been appreciated by the readership.
Askew fronted the tribunal on Monday night. In the wash-up, Sale United women’s team was reinstated their premiership points, however Askew’s suspension and fine remained.
