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Police investigating Fahour after life ban

Victoria Police are investigating former AFL Diversity Manager Ali Fahour for assault over the punch in a local league football game that ended his career.

Jul 06, 2017, updated Jul 06, 2017
Ali Fahour leaves the Northern Football League headquarters in Melbourne. Photo: Julian Smith / AAP

Ali Fahour leaves the Northern Football League headquarters in Melbourne. Photo: Julian Smith / AAP

Fahour was playing for West Preston-Lakeside in the Northern Football League on Saturday when he allegedly rushed into a scuffle and punched Whittlesea defender Dale Saddington, knocking him out.

Police today confirmed they were investigating and had a statement from the 33-year-old alleged victim.

They said their investigation was ongoing and it would be “inappropriate to comment further at this time”.

Whittlesea defender Dale Saddington (left) leaves the Northern Football League headquarters after last night’s hearing. Photo: Julian Smith / AAP

Fahour last night stood down from his AFL role after being banned from playing football for life over the hit.

He was banned for 14 weeks by the Northern Football League last night, taking his career total suspensions beyond the 16-week threshold which triggers deregistration from any league in Australia.

“On the basis of the seriousness of the charge and the tribunal’s sanction, I’ll be standing down from my position at the AFL,” he told reporters at the NFL’s headquarters after a two and a half hour hearing.

“In this time, I’ll seek professional help for my behaviour.”

This is the moment AFL diversity manager Ali Fahour punches an opponent in a northern football league game on Saturday.

Horrendous. pic.twitter.com/LtVgj2wFLH

— Sam McClure (@sam_mcclure) July 3, 2017

Fahour said the game he had played for 29 years “has given me everything” and AFL is “the greatest game”.

“I am forever grateful for the role it has played in my life,” he said.

“I want to thank all those who have offered me support over the past 10 years.”

He said he had loved his diversity role.

“I have loved working for the AFL and running programmes that have reached out to communities far and wide,” he said.

"I will be standing down from my position at the AFL." Ali Fahour statement after effective life ban from Australian Rules Football. #7News pic.twitter.com/Qdrfr4Lnbl

— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) July 5, 2017

NFL chief executive Peter McDougall told reporters the tribunal found Fahour guilty of striking and suspended him for 14 matches.

“Fahour’s career suspensions tally now totals 21 matches, therefore this now activates the AFL de-registration policy,” he said.

“This means Fahour will be deregistered and banned from playing and or officiating.”

It’s not the first time the brother of former Australia Post boss Ahmed Fahour has been in trouble.

Five years ago, Fahour received a severe reprimand for jumping the fence at a local match and becoming involved in an off-field scuffle and he was reported earlier this year.

His punch also came one week after he gave Richmond’s Bachar Houli a reference for his AFL tribunal case.

The Tigers backman said in a statement on his Facebook page yesterday that while he didn’t condone Fahour’s action, he was “a person of the highest character” and one he would “trust my life with”.

The AFL will consider ramping up the ban for one-punch offences in the wake of recent controversies.

While league chief executive Gillon McLachlan is wary of introducing a red card at AFL level, he is happy to discuss tougher tribunal penalties for serious incidents.

On Tuesday, Melbourne’s Bugg was banned for six matches after he concussed Sydney opponent Callum Mills with a punch to the head.

“If there’s a view that, say, six weeks is not enough deterrent, we’ll look to escalate it,” McLachlan said.

Confirming Fahour had left the AFL, he said there were campaigns in the wider community to stamp out so-called coward punches.

“We’re certainly a leader in this area,” McLachlan said.

The former amateur-level ruckman said the game at all levels no longer tolerated such ugly incidents.

“I have no doubt there are less on-field issues at the community level and elite level than it was five years ago, certainly 10 years ago,” he said.

“I certainly feel the strong statements over the last couple of weeks will help us have less issues.”

But McLachlan is yet to be sold on a red card in the AFL, an issue debated in the wake of the Bugg case.

Bugg punched Mills in the first quarter and the Sydney player did not return, meaning the Swans were a man down on the bench for nearly the whole match.

“I feel that the red card potentially raises as many issues as it solves,” he said.

“I feel comfortable with the system – so that leaves you with if it’s not a significant deterrent where the penalties are now, I feel the thing to pursue … (is) raise the stakes.

“That’s a discussion I will have.”

-AAP

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