A 22-year-old man from northern Adelaide has been given a lifetime ban from AFL events for disrupting a game at Adelaide Oval.
He invaded the field during Adelaide’s AFL match against Geelong on March 22, running onto the field and interfering with the players.
The man was seen recording the incident on his mobile phone as he entered the playing area and disrupted the match.
After being stopped by an umpire, he was caught by Crows player Matt Crouch and later by Ben Keays before security intervened.
The AFL has imposed a lifetime ban on the man from attending any AFL or AFLW games at any venue, emphasizing the dangerous and unlawful nature of such actions.
The man was arrested on the night of the incident and is facing a maximum fine of $5,000 for breaching South Australia’s Recreation Grounds Regulations.
He can request a review of his ban after a period of five years, as he was not a member of any club or the AFL.
Both coaches involved in the match condemned the pitch invasion, highlighting the potential danger to players and recalling past incidents of similar nature.
The incident in Adelaide is one of several pitch invasions that have occurred this season, with security measures being reinforced to prevent such occurrences.
AAP/ABC
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