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ABC News
National

Two lifetime bans issued by Football Australia as police charge more people over A-League violence

Police have now charged 13 people with offences in relation to the mass pitch invasion during last weekend's A-League Men Melbourne derby.

Victoria Police said 20 people had been identified from vision and images taken during the incident, but police still want to identify several more.

Those charged with offences include four males accused of serious assaults on the field, and a person who allegedly threw a flare at a cameraman.

Ten males between 17 and 28 have been charged with offences including violent disorder, criminal damage, public nuisance and riotous behaviour.

All of those who have been charged have been bailed to appear at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on February 27.

Victoria Police said about 150 fans ran onto the field during the match on Saturday night and more than 80 flares were set off inside the stadium.

Bottles and poles were thrown at police officers and around $150,000 worth of damage was done to the venue.

Lifetime bans issued to two men

Football Australia has handed lifetime bans to two men as an investigation into the pitch invasion continues.

A 23-year-old Craigieburn man and a 19-year-old Meadow Heights man have both been banned for life from all football activity, including both attending matches and events, and playing.

In a statement, Football Australia said the actions of the pair had brought the game into disrepute and breached its spectator code of behaviour.

Football Australia CEO James Johnson said he expected the lifetime bans would be the "first of many".

"The actions of these two, and others who are of interest to us, are completely unacceptable and those people and their behaviours will never be welcome in our game," Mr Johnson said.

"Football has a zero-tolerance policy to disruptive, destructive, violent, and anti-social behaviour at its sanctioned events, and it will not tolerate behaviour that has the potential to threaten the safety or security of spectators, players, and officials.

"These significant bans against these individuals are consistent with this position.

"Football Australia is working around the clock on this investigation to ensure that the scenes witnessed at AAMI [Melbourne Rectangular Stadium] Park in Melbourne are never repeated again."

Football Australia said Melbourne Victory has submitted a reply to the show cause notice issued to the club in the wake of the pitch invasion.

It has not yet set a time frame for assessing what punishment might be handed to the club but said it "understands the importance of swift action".

Football Australia said it was working with the A-League's governing body, Victory, Western United FC and the operators of Melbourne Rectangular Stadium to ensure there is no repeat of the incident at the scheduled match on Boxing Day.

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