‘Crows’ wings clipped for ‘flying’ sans masks

Image: ausleisure.com.au

The wings of the professional Australian rules football club – Adelaide Crows – has been clipped with the Australian Football League (AFL) announcing that it has slapped on the ‘Crows’ a $50,000 fine following a breach of AFL COVID-19 protocols.

‘Australasian Leisure Management’ stated that players and officials from the Adelaide Crows were found to have not adhered to wearing face coverings while on a commercial flight from Sydney to Adelaide following their May 30^th game.

The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent and only fully professional men’s competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport’s governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the game.

The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed the ‘Crows’, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia. Their home ground is the 53,500-capacity Adelaide Oval.

The ‘Australasian Leisure Management’ further stated that after investigation from the AFL, the club has been fined with 100 percent of the sanction to be included in the Crows’ football department soft cap.

Explaining the sanction, AFL General Counsel, Andrew Dillon, stated, “We all have a very clear responsibility to ensure we do everything we can to best protect the health and well-being of our family, friends and everyone in the community. The rule here is clear and has been in place for some time and there is simply no excuse for not abiding by it. We will not compromise the health and well-being of the community, and remind everyone in the industry … that they have a responsibility to adhere to the rules for the safety of everyone.”

Adelaide Crows Chief Executive, Tim Silvers, said the club accepted the AFL’s penalty and owns the error “from top to bottom”, commenting, “We are well aware of our responsibilities and the need to adhere to guidance and protocols put in place by the AFL and health authorities. We failed in this area and we would like to apologise to the other passengers on the plane”.

Added Silvers, “We were complacent and this matter must serve as a reminder to be vigilant in playing our part to try and limit the spread of COVID-19. It is a privilege to be playing games during these challenging times and we acknowledge the Government requirement for people to wear face masks in airports and on all domestic commercial flights.”

Adelaide Crows’ Head of Football, Adam Kelly, said that the club would take the blame collectively, adding, “At the end of the day, we had about 55 people in that traveling party, all of which on that flight could’ve done something about it if they had seen anyone wearing the masks incorrectly … so we share the blame together. I don’t think our players believe they’re above the rules.”

Added Kelly, “What they were was complacent, and at times during that flight they weren’t wearing their masks correctly for what were not permissible reasons.”

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