Laura Menzies: Northern Region Football CEO on the investigation into the assault of a coach

Another season of sport, another season of sideline abuse. 

Police are investigating a serious assault made on a female football coach in September. 

The Ellerslie FC volunteer was attacked by a male supporter of the opposing team following an under-10s game.  

Northern Region Football CEO Laura Menzies told Ryan Bridge a sideline attack is an absolute extreme. 

She said in most cases this type of behaviour is perpetrated by those on the sideline, and while it’s not always the parents, they can take action against them if they behave inappropriately.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Another season of sport, another season of sideline abuse. Police
have revealed they're still investigating a serious assault on a
female football coach from September. The Elsie IF volunteer was
attacked by an opposing male supporter following an under ten's game.
Laura Menzies is the Northern Region Football chief executive. She's
with us this morning.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
Good morning, good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
How is that coach doing? Do you know.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
The last I heard she was, The last I heard
she was recovering at home. I mean, there's no doubt
that's a completely shocking incident that should shock us in
any example that our never mind a football game.

Speaker 1 (00:38):
Is this thing happening more and more? Or that these
a one off?

Speaker 2 (00:43):
I mean there's a huge spectrum when we talk about
sideline behavior. Somebody attacking somebody on the sideline as an
absolute extreme, which happens in very few circumstances. Certainly not
condoning the behavior in the slightest because it should never happen.
But no, this kind of thing is extreme, has happened
very rarely.

Speaker 1 (01:02):
She was noted unconscious apparently. I mean, it's just terrible,
isn't it. Oh?

Speaker 2 (01:06):
Absolutely, that absolutely is terrible, And I think the thing
is that kind of behavior wouldn't be okay if you're
at the supermarket or the bank or anywhere else in society.
There's not anywhere in our society where we allow someone
to go up to somebody else and knock them unconscious.
You know, That's why we have laws of the country.
There's no way that behavior is in any circumstances, is
even the slightest bit appropriate? Is it?

Speaker 1 (01:27):
The parents? I mean, can you ban and I know
you shouldn't take your anger out on the kids or
you know the punishment had on the kids, But do
you look at banning kids whose parents behave like that?

Speaker 2 (01:37):
We don't generally ban the kids, but yes we can.
I mean, we do have a disciplinary code, we do
have a code of conduct part of me as a sport.
And absolutely it is possible to own to ban parents
according to their behavior because in most cases, yes it's
in most cases it is the parents or it is
sideline people are not always parents of kids. But yes
we can, we can take action against parents.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
All right, Well, hopefully this particular coach is recovering. Well.
We thank you very much for your time. Are Laura
great to have you on the program. That's Laura Menzie's
the Northern Region Football Chief Executive. For more from Early
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