Suspended for part in scuffle

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

FOOTBALL

A MAN identified as the spectator who threw a punch in an on-field scuffle at the end of a May 11 Pacific Premiership football match has been suspended from playing for six weeks.

Representatives of the two clubs, Gisborne United and Gisborne Thistle, and an independent witness had identified the man, said Central Football Federation operations and game development manager Darren Mason, who runs the league.

The man had been a member of a lower-graded United team and was not currently playing, Mason said.

“We are limited in what we can do. We have suspended him for as long as we can under the New Zealand disciplinary code — six weeks — for coming on to the field.”

Mason said Central Football had given both clubs “a bit of a warning around their behaviour”.

“We were really disappointed that what should have been a highlight in the calendar was marred by an incident after the game,” he said.

“Both of those teams have added heaps to the Pacific Premiership in terms of on-field football quality. It’s disappointing they have let themselves down after the game.

“Teams have a responsibility to behave in an appropriate manner and maybe some of them let themselves down.

“The other thing is that in all these sorts of things you can’t really tell who was to blame and how it all happened. We’ve heard varying opinions on who started it and who was involved. It’s a bit like ‘he said, she said’.”