Fan banned for 12 months after homophobic slur aimed at Liam McBean at SANFL final
Patron removed from Adelaide Oval during qualifying final after directing a 'highly offensive' homophobic remark at Glenelg captain; SANFL announces penalty following investigation
A spectator has been banned from attending SANFL matches for 12 months after directing a homophobic slur at Glenelg captain Liam McBean during the league's qualifying final at Adelaide Oval, the SANFL said Friday.
The remark was made during the second quarter of last weekend's match, which marked McBean's 150th SANFL game. McBean, a former Richmond premiership player, immediately pointed toward the stands after hearing the abuse. A boundary umpire also confirmed the comment before alerting venue security, and the patron was swiftly removed.
"The member of the crowd used a highly offensive homophobic slur against Glenelg captain Liam McBean during the Glenelg v (match)," the SANFL said in a statement. "The SANFL has today issued a penalty to a patron in relation to an incident during the SANFL Qualifying Final at Adelaide Oval on Sunday." The league commended McBean for calling out the abuse and said the decision followed an internal investigation.
McBean said he was shocked to hear the slur from over the fence while captaining Glenelg. The SANFL did not release the identity of the patron or details of any further sanctions beyond the 12-month match ban.
The penalty comes days after a separate suspension involving AFL player Izak Rankine, underscoring heightened scrutiny on conduct around football matches at both state and national levels. The SANFL's action reflects the league's investigative response to spectator misconduct during a high-profile finals fixture.
Officials said venue security and match officials acted to remove the patron quickly after the incident was reported. The SANFL has not indicated whether the ban is subject to appeal or whether further enforcement measures will be taken if the patron attempts to attend SANFL events during the suspension period.
The match, and the incident, have drawn attention to fan behaviour at stadiums and the processes leagues use to address discriminatory conduct. The SANFL's announcement came ahead of this weekend's finals schedule and serves as a formal record that the league concluded an investigation and issued a sanction tied to discriminatory language used by a spectator.