The APL can today announce that Sydney FC has been fined after it was found to have breached the Isuzu UTE A-League Men’s competition regulations.
A show cause notice was issued to Sydney FC over the make-up of its substitutes bench for three games in February and March, specifically for not having enough players below a certain age as is mandated in the competition rules.
To have seven players on the bench, at least three had to have been eligible to play for the Australian national teams and have been born on or after January 1 1998 – the so-called “U23 rule”.
Following correspondence between the League and the Club, including an appeals process, the APL have determined that a breach occurred in the two matches against Western United on February 23 and Melbourne City on February 26. In both cases, Sydney FC had fewer than three such eligible players, and as a result has been fined $5000.
Under competition rules, sanctions could have included a reprimand, fine or loss of competition points. However APL has noted that its processes did not identify the initial breach within the three days between the games and this may have contributed to the second breach.
APL has also noted that Sydney FC’s substitutes bench against Western Sydney on March 5 also did not include the requisite number of eligible players, but has not found the club guilty in recognition of the delay in identifying the initial breach.
“These rules were put in place to ensure young Australian players receive as many playing opportunities as possible, and so it’s important that we ensure they are observed,” said A-Leagues Commissioner Greg O’Rourke.
“It’s incumbent upon clubs to be fully aware of the eligibility requirements, however we acknowledge that if this had been picked up sooner then any subsequent breaches may not have happened. In the circumstances we deem a fine of $5000 is appropriate.”
In addition, under competition rules, the result in the games against Western United and Melbourne City automatically becomes a 3-0 loss to Sydney FC. Consequently:
- an additional three (3) goals will be added to Sydney FC’s goals ‘against’ tally and one (1) less goal for their ‘for’ tally.
Furthermore, Sydney FC’s opponents for the relevant matches will have their goals adjusted as follows:
- Western United FC will receive two (2) additional goals for their ‘for’ tally and
- Melbourne City FC will receive one (1) additional goal for their ‘for’ tally and one (1) less goal for their ‘against’ tally.
With the sanctions in mind, APL can also confirm that the following remains unchanged:
- any goals scored by any of the Club’s Player during the Matches will:
- still be counted for the individual for the purposes of determining the winner of the Golden Boot;
- be eligible to be voted for the Goal of the Year; and
- any Johnny Warren Medal votes awarded to the Club’s Players for the Matches will remain valid.
