Umpires in a Melbourne junior football league will issue soccer-style red and yellow cards for sledging offences from next year after the Southern Metro Football League unveiled an “unsociable sledging bylaw”.
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The move comes amid rising concern over sledging on local sports fields, including sexist and other derogatory comments, which public health advocates warn could have a significant impact on children.
League chairman Peter Ryan said he hoped the move would be seen as a first step in a wider community approach to tackling the issue.
"In simple terms, if a player makes a derogatory comment about an opponent individually or an opponent's family member – mum, dad, brother, sister, grandparents – the umpire shall be instructed to issue a yellow and or red card to the offending player at the time of the offence," Mr Ryan said.
