Police are investigating an alleged antisemitic comment made at a children’s netball game involving a Jewish-led team in Sydney.
New South Wales police said it was called to netball courts at Heffron Park in Maroubra just after 10am on Saturday, after reports a woman had made offensive comments towards a group of people at an under-12s game between the Maccabi and Saints netball clubs.
Officers spoke with the 42-year-old woman, who was given a move-on direction.
“Inquiries into the incident are continuing,” police said.
In a statement to club members on Saturday, the president of Maccabi Netball NSW, Adam Dinte, said the organisation was aware of an alleged “deeply distressing antisemitic incident that occurred … involving Jewish players and families from our club”.
“What took place was completely unacceptable,” Dinte said. “Jewish players, parents, coaches, administrators and supporters have the right to participate in community sport safely and confidently, free from racism, abuse, intimidation or vilification.”
Dinte said the club was communicating with the police and the Jewish-led Community Security Group (CSG) in relation to the incident, and was writing a formal letter of complaint to the Randwick Netball Association and the Saints Netball club.
The incident came after the first week of public hearings of the royal commission into antisemitism, established after the Bondi beach terror attack in which 15 people were killed at a beachside Hanukah celebration. At the inquiry, witnesses from the Jewish community, including schoolchildren, described displays of hostility and discrimination.
The president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip, said he was aware of Saturday’s incident and the organisation would do “everything within our power to make sure it is treated with the seriousness it deserves”.
“Children’s sport should be a place of respectful competition and friendly exchange where all should feel welcome. There must be no tolerance for racism or discrimination,” he said.
The co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, Alex Ryvchin, said the woman who allegedly made the comments should receive “a life ban”.
“Team managers and referees should also be instructed to stop games the second such abuse occurs. It shouldn’t be left to kids and parents to deal with,” he said.
“It’s really horrible that Jewish families will be going to their games next week worried about what will happen rather than enjoying weekend sports with their kids.”
In a statement posted to social media, the Saints Netball Club said it was aware of the incident in which “a supporter associated with the club is alleged to have made comments of an antisemitic nature”.
“The Saints Netball Club unequivocally condemns and disavows antisemitism in all its forms,” it said.
The club apologised “to the Jewish community, to those directly affected, and to anyone who encountered these comments, or was directly affected by them”.
The president of the Randwick Netball Association, Jenny Morrissey, said the organisation was working with Netball NSW “as we investigate and respond to the matter”.
“Netball is a place where everyone is welcome and we will not tolerate antisemitic or discriminatory behaviour on our community in any way.”
