prankster_bateman
11th November 2005, 11:24
Sunbury fine is withdrawn on appeal
Wednesday, 9 November 2005
THE BALLARAT Football League board has back-flipped on Sunbury's $10,000 suspended fine.
The board withdrew the fine at an appeal hearing in Ballarat last night, but warned Sunbury it could face harsher penalties if another player breached the club's code of conduct.
BFL chairman Tim Bunning said the board considered Sunbury's good behaviour of the past two years in making its decision to drop the suspended fine.
But he said a repeat of the Shaun Patterson incident within the next two years could bring about severe punishment.
Patterson, a reserves player, has been banned from football for life for having bashed a Ballarat umpire on an end-of-season trip last month.
The $10,000 fine had been suspended until the end of the 2008 season.
Sunbury's existing good behaviour bond of three years was reduced to two last night.
"The fine was changed in acknowledgement of Sunbury's good behaviour over the last two years," Mr Bunning said.
"We acknowledge that it is difficult to control everyone associated with a club at all times.
"But Sunbury's appeal could not be totally upheld because of the seriousness of the matter, albeit, carried out by an individual."
Sunbury president Greg Allen declined to comment.
The Lions were also unsuccessful in appealing against two other sanctions handed down last month.
The BFL dismissed the club's plea against having to pay $2500 to help produce a television commercial aimed at recruiting umpires.
The BFL also turned down Sunbury's appeal to not have to shoulder the cost of a club development program. However, a cap would be applied to Sunbury's spending requirement.
If Sunbury was to appeal the outcomes of last night's hearing, the matter would have to be heard in the courts but Mr Bunning was confident the saga had come to an end.
"From our point of view the Sunbury saga is over because the club cannot appeal what happened tonight to us or the VCFL (Victorian Country Football League)," he said.
"They seemed appeased with the decision but they will have to take it back to their full board. They will wait on us for a full written document detailing their position. Then they will make a comment once their full board has
reached its decision." Source: http://www.thecourier.com.au
Wednesday, 9 November 2005
THE BALLARAT Football League board has back-flipped on Sunbury's $10,000 suspended fine.
The board withdrew the fine at an appeal hearing in Ballarat last night, but warned Sunbury it could face harsher penalties if another player breached the club's code of conduct.
BFL chairman Tim Bunning said the board considered Sunbury's good behaviour of the past two years in making its decision to drop the suspended fine.
But he said a repeat of the Shaun Patterson incident within the next two years could bring about severe punishment.
Patterson, a reserves player, has been banned from football for life for having bashed a Ballarat umpire on an end-of-season trip last month.
The $10,000 fine had been suspended until the end of the 2008 season.
Sunbury's existing good behaviour bond of three years was reduced to two last night.
"The fine was changed in acknowledgement of Sunbury's good behaviour over the last two years," Mr Bunning said.
"We acknowledge that it is difficult to control everyone associated with a club at all times.
"But Sunbury's appeal could not be totally upheld because of the seriousness of the matter, albeit, carried out by an individual."
Sunbury president Greg Allen declined to comment.
The Lions were also unsuccessful in appealing against two other sanctions handed down last month.
The BFL dismissed the club's plea against having to pay $2500 to help produce a television commercial aimed at recruiting umpires.
The BFL also turned down Sunbury's appeal to not have to shoulder the cost of a club development program. However, a cap would be applied to Sunbury's spending requirement.
If Sunbury was to appeal the outcomes of last night's hearing, the matter would have to be heard in the courts but Mr Bunning was confident the saga had come to an end.
"From our point of view the Sunbury saga is over because the club cannot appeal what happened tonight to us or the VCFL (Victorian Country Football League)," he said.
"They seemed appeased with the decision but they will have to take it back to their full board. They will wait on us for a full written document detailing their position. Then they will make a comment once their full board has
reached its decision." Source: http://www.thecourier.com.au