Add Category
Posted
An unregistered female footballer, who played in a South Australian country men's league, has been banned from playing in the local women's league for six weeks.
Key points:
- Casey McElroy played for the Padthaway men's reserves team on May 25
- Her club was fined $2,000 for playing an unregistered player
- The SANFL has banned her from playing in the local women's league for six weeks
Under the suspension handed down by the South Australian National Football League (SANFL) on Thursday, Casey McElroy will not be able to play in the first six games of next year's Limestone Coast Women's Football League season.
She is also banned from playing for Murray South East in the women's country championships in Port Pirie next month.
She can accept the ban or have it referred to an independent tribunal.
"I'm devastated to know that I won't be playing next season as soon as I'd hoped," McElroy told the ABC.
"Thank you for understanding I won't be providing any further comment at this time.
"As you will understand, I am devastated with this outcome and need to take some time to consider where I go from here."
McElroy played for the Padthaway Lions men's reserves team on May 25.
The club was fined $2,000 by the Kowree-Naracoorte-Tatiara Football League on Tuesday for playing an unregistered player.
Half of the fine was suspended.
The club also would not have received premiership points if it had won against Kingston.
Women and girls aged 14 and over are not allowed to play in mixed-gender competitions under the Australian Football Match Policy.
Playing was an insurance risk: SANFL
SANFL football general manager Adam Kelly said playing as an unregistered player in an official match was a serious breach of regulations that exposed her, her teammates and the opposition to insurance risk.
"The legitimate registration of players and their eligibility to play is paramount to the integrity of all Australian football competitions," Mr Kelly said.
Mr Kelly said the league's investigation found McElroy was made aware of the relevant policies and regulations before the breach occurred, but she had still opted to play.
In a statement, the SANFL said the Padthaway reserves had 18 other players available to play on the day of the breach and was allowed to play with as few as 12 players.
McElroy an all-rounder fulfilling dream
McElroy won the Limestone Coast Women's Football League premiership with her Kybybolite Tigers teammates last year, and this year she won the league's best and fairest.
She cannot play for the Padthaway Lions because they do not have a women's team.
Photo:
Casey McElroy (left) celebrating Kybybolite's 2018 premiership win with teammates. (Facebook)
This year's season was eight rounds long.
She is also a netball coach and player at Padthaway.
Earlier this week, she said playing for the Lions was a great moment for her family.
"It was what we always dreamed of and for me to be in the same guernsey as my dad was wearing, it was pretty unreal," she said.
Topics: australian-football-league, sport, women, community-and-society, padthaway-5271, kybybolite-5262, adelaide-5000, sa, australia