![\"Supporters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1784789716_84_7b4711746e13822e738cc0a9e4d38d5b.jpeg\")
<\/p>\nA football club in Melbourne’s northern suburbs will have to play its next two home games without fans in attendance, after hardline supporters brought sexist and offensive banners to a game last weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Football Victoria announced late yesterday that after “utterly disgraceful” scenes, the next two Preston Lions state league matches would be played “behind closed doors, with no spectators permitted”.<\/p>\n
Last Saturday, the Preston Lions, a club associated with the Macedonian Australian community, faced South Melbourne FC in a state league match that resulted in a nil-all draw.<\/p>\n
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Supporters of the Preston Lions hold up a banner that has angered many Greek Australians. (Facebook: Konstantinos Kalymnios)<\/p>\n
South Melbourne FC are associated with the Greek diaspora and are known as the Hellas, the Greek name for Greece, from which the English adjective Hellenic is derived.<\/p>\n
Images from the game showed members of the Preston Boys ultras group holding a banner reading “anti-Hellass”<\/a> in the stands.<\/p>\n Other banners posted to social media contained profanity and sexist messaging about Greek women.<\/p>\n Football Victoria chief executive Dan Birrell said on Wednesday that the “unsavoury” incident was a “culmination” of the behaviour of some Preston Lions fans.<\/p>\n “To be crystal clear, we cannot and will not accept this as part of our game,” he said.<\/p>\n “Do not tell me this is part of European culture and football culture.<\/p>\n Loading…Further sanctions could follow<\/p>\n Football Victoria said the matter had been referred to the independent Football Victoria Tribunal, which would determine whether to enforce additional sanctions on the club or individuals involved.<\/p>\n “[This] may include financial penalties, education and training, points deductions or match restrictions,” the body said.<\/p>\n Mr Birrell said those responsible for the behaviour were “not welcome” at football matches and would be banned from attending.<\/p>\n The Preston Lions caused a major upset against the Newcastle Jets this week. (Facebook: Preston Lions)<\/p>\n “You are cowards. You are men who are hiding behind face coverings, behind hoodies, balaclavas, beanies and sunglasses,” he said.<\/p>\n “You are embarrassed to show your faces because these aren’t things that you deep down can even believe in yourself.<\/p>\n “We will identify who you are and you will be banned completely from all parts of our community.”<\/p>\n The decision to bar spectators comes after the Preston Lions achieved an upset win against the Newcastle Jets on Tuesday night in the Australia Cup, defeating the NSW-based side 3-2.<\/p>\n Preston Lions coach Zoran Markovski was quoted by News Corp as saying his team “deserves to be in the A-League”, the highest tier of Australian football in which the Newcastle Jets compete.<\/p>\n “When you’re attracting crowds of 5,000 people sometimes, and averaging 3,500-4,000 every week, they are bigger crowds than some of the A-League clubs are getting at the moment,” he was quoted as saying.<\/p>\n The Preston Lions did not respond to the ABC’s requests for comment.<\/p>\n![\"Men](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/27771f91784b81026a8b2ef64a398321.jpeg\")
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