Melbourne Knights Complain Of Racial Discrimination By Football Federation Australia

Football Federation Australia’s "attempts to prevent a return to the sport’s ethnic labels of the past will be tested by law," after its rules were referred to the Human Rights Commission, according to Tom Smithies of the Sydney DAILY TELEGRAPH. Melbourne Knights have "complained of racial discrimination to the Commission, after it was banned from displaying a sponsor’s name on its kit for the FFA Cup." The club "has also claimed it will go to the Federal Court if it does not get satisfaction from the Commission." The club was told three of its proposed sponsors fell foul of national rules brought in earlier this year, which ban any new club names or logos including "ethnic, national, political, racial or religious connotations." Its major FFA Cup sponsor had been due to be Melbourne Croatia Soccer Club, "which falls into a grey area under the wording of FFA’s policy" on so-called ethnic terms (DAILY TELEGRAPH, 8/20).