Football is a game of passion — but passion is no excuse for abuse.
Shouting at referees. Confrontations between supporters. Aggression that spills beyond the spirit of the game. This behaviour doesn’t just hurt the moment - it hurts our game. It makes our fields feel less safe, less inclusive, and far less welcoming.
Referees, many of them teenagers, are walking away from football because of the abuse they receive. The result is fewer officials to cover matches, more games left without a whistle and a poorer experience for everyone. Abuse doesn’t toughen people up — it drives them out.
On the junior sidelines in particular, we need perspective. This isn’t the World Cup. These are kids playing a game they love.
Parents, your voice should uplift, not overwhelm. Supporters, your passion should fuel pride, not conflict.
When tempers flare between fans, it’s not just individuals who face consequences — it’s the whole club. Sanctions hurt teams, and reputations linger long after the final whistle.
Every matchday, there are hundreds of young eyes watching. They see it all. They hear every word.
We all share the responsibility to protect the future of our game. Let’s make football better - for everyone. There is no excuse for abuse.
Club Assets
To help share a united voice to stamp out anti-social behaviour from our game, we have created a suite of assets that we encourage our community to use when promoting the No Excuse for Abuse campaign.
Download the No Excuse for Abuse assets
The below copy can be utilised as a guide for Clubs:
Football is a game of passion — but passion is no excuse for abuse. We remind our community that anti-social behaviour and abuse has no place in our game. Together, let’s make sure Victorian football is a safe, welcoming space for all.
We now also have a No Excuse for Abuse branded Spectator Code of Behaviour which you can print and put up at your club venue, as well as Spectator Code of Behaviour scoreboard graphics that your club can utilise during game day in various scoreboard sizes.
Download Spectator Code of Behaviour assets
