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14 Australian football fans banned after displaying 'offensive' banner depicting oral sex

There has been outrage in the football community and media over the explicit banner of a man resembling Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold performing oral sex.

WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS have banned 14 supporters for 18 months for displaying a lewd banner during last weekend’s A-League derby with Sydney FC.

Wanderers said they would ban the 14 – all from the notorious Red & Black Bloc (RBB) fan group – across all competitions after the banner was hoisted on Saturday.

The move comes after Football Federation Australia this week hit the Wanderers with a show-cause notice, calling the banner “offensive to any reasonable member of the public”.

The governing body is expected to come down hard on the club, which has already been in trouble over incidents involving flares and other anti-social activities.

There has been outrage in the football community and media over the explicit banner of a man resembling Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold performing oral sex.

The Wanderers took action after reviewing CCTV footage from before and during the 1-0 derby win and identifying fans who took part in concealing, assembling and displaying the banner.

“Following a thorough review of the incident on Saturday night we have acted to remove them from our club,” Wanderers CEO John Tsatsimas said in a statement.

This incident involved key leaders of the RBB who have shown no remorse for their actions of bringing our club and the game of football into disrepute and have continued to flaunt their disdain for the club… on social media.

“As a club we have had enough and have put the entire group on notice.

“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.”

The Wanderers said the banned spectators will also have to undergo a social inclusion programme before their suspensions can be lifted.

© – AFP 2017

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    Mute Toby
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    Jul 28th 2023, 8:06 AM

    Every country France colonised is a mess now, recent coups in Mali, Burkina and Niger. Even France is a mess. Do we want to be in Europe as a bit player in their club?

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    Mute James Carroll
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    Jul 28th 2023, 8:51 AM

    @Toby: Yes.

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    Mute John Lonergan
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    Jul 28th 2023, 8:53 AM

    @Toby: cause the ones other countries colonised are all fine and dandy?

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    Mute Washpenrebel
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    Jul 28th 2023, 10:12 AM

    I would expect no one here realises that France is still has the biggest colonies in Africa. They countries they used to directly control, they now control their finances. Ie these countries reserves are stored in the French central bank. The French keep them poor and the enrich themselves with their resources. When a leader comes in they don’t like, they are removed. France is far from a democracy. In fairness to the British at least they left.

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    Mute Donal Desmond
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    Jul 28th 2023, 11:16 AM

    @Washpenrebel: In fairness the British left? Yes the British left after drawing lines in the sand that led to the deaths of millions between India and Pakistan. The mess they left behind in the Middle East is still going on to this day. The British Empire was just as bad as the French Empire. A legacy of murder and destruction.

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    Mute Washpenrebel
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    Jul 28th 2023, 12:37 PM

    @Donal Desmond: 100% agree with you. But the way the French still control former colonies is horrendous. There is a reason why the French foreign legion are still active all over Africa. Africa is still used as a resource to plunder a pillage from. The Congo being a perfect example with all its rich minerals.

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    Mute P.J. Nolan
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    Jul 28th 2023, 10:31 AM

    Washpenrebel.
    For anyone starting to read his comment just skip down to the last sentence.

    It’s handy when commenters make their agenda so obvious.

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    Mute Pato
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    Jul 28th 2023, 3:04 PM

    The British left did they? How come I still see them when I go to Enniskillen?

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