Gaza FC - Salary Cap Breaches

[Footy Chick]

These are the kind of posts you hope to never have to type about a club in your competition and this is why we've waited until the inevitable was about to happen before posting (*unlike some outlets that brag about having a secret but we're not going to tell you )

Some time ago, it was reported that Gaza was under investigation for salary cap breaches, over a period of years.

It appears that the CFL will report today that Gaza have been found guilty of APPS breaches, and have copped some pretty heavy sanctions as a result.

We're talking fines of over $300k, will play with only 4 APPS points for the next 2 years (loss of 11 points) and several club administrators have been banned from taking official positions for periods of anywhere from 5-10 years. They have 7 days to dispute the result.

At this point, I'll also mention that if they work with authorities, there is the option that most of the fine can be suspended.

I'll post the official findings once they've been released.

Please be respectful with your discussion. Yes, they've done the wrong thing but there are also a lot of people at the club who were not involved, and will be feeling very nervous about the future of their club that celebrated 120 years in 2023.

[whufc]

$300k fine for anything involving semi amateur sport seems extremely excessive, feel for the junior football program which will suffer as a result.

[jo172]

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/messenger/sport/adelaide-footy-league-club-gaza-to-cop-biggest-fine-in-sa-sports-history/news-story/6cb46226c743074f834101cceb25226a?fbclid=IwAR0i-E5DAoaqO8u5VhOf3LRihQ78W5r4zaGbe70F4VQHpi0oQFAof6A3X7o

An Adelaide Footy League club is set to be hit with the biggest fine in SA sporting history for breaches of salary cap.

Sources close to The Advertiser have confirmed division three Adelaide Footy League club Gaza will be charged with systematic breaches of salary cap dating as far back as season 2018 and fined $350,000 by the SANFL.

It is also understood club president Don Rosella will be handed a suspension of 10 years, while club chairman Brett Pavils and football director Renato Tudorovic have each been suspended for three years.

The six-figure fine could be the biggest in SA sports history and may threaten Gaza’s future as a community club.

The penalty would be $50,000 more than Adelaide’s $300,000 fine for salary cap breaches involving Kurt Tippett in 2012, and $250,000 more than the $100,000 fine Port Adelaide recently received for failing to adhere to AFL concussion protocols.

Charges for breaches of Player Payment Salary Cap will be laid by SANFL after an extensive investigation dating back to May.

Under the SANFL’s latest Community Football Rules and Regulations, local suburban clubs are not to exceed a total amount of $2500 in player payments each week.

Clubs can also not exceed payment of $500 to a player per match, while coaches cannot be paid more than $20,000 a season.

Upfront or sign-on payments are not allowed.

Punishments for breaches of player payment regulations can include fines, deduction of premiership points for clubs and suspension from multiple games for individual players or club members.

Gaza’s last A Grade premiership was its 2011 division one flag.

The Eagles were relegated to division three at the end of season 2022 and have been relegated to division four for season 2024.

[jo172]

$300k extraordinary. Shut the doors stuff.

[gadj1976]

Holy sh1t!

[jo172]

Might also add that for an offence apparently so serious to warrant an extraordinary fine/huge suspensions that 4 APPS points seems a bit trifling? One player a year?

[cracka]

$50k more than what the Crows were fined for the Kurt Tippet debacle

[Dutchy]

Reading between the lines the club has denied the allegations so huge fines have been applied, but will be suspended if they roll over and work with authorities now?

Wonder how the 2 players are feeling now?

[Mr Beefy]

Be a few nervous clubs around.

[jo172]

Wonder how the 2 players are feeling now?

Two players?

[Under_Scrutiny]

Wonder how the 2 players are feeling now?

Two players?

Sounds like a lot more than 2 and has been going on for a while. 350K = Shut the Doors

[Dutchy]

$300k fine for anything involving semi amateur sport seems extremely excessive, feel for the junior football program which will suffer as a result.

My sons team have had 3 recent games against their u17.5's including a final last Sunday and they were fantastic to deal with, with a great coaches, support staff and supporters. You hope whatever happens from here they will rebuild and make a positive out of this long term.

[Dutchy]

Wonder how the 2 players are feeling now?

Two players?

Rumours that 2 disgruntled players who wanted to be cleared, self reported about payments they have been receiving, which started the domino's

[redyellow&blue]

$300k fine for anything involving semi amateur sport seems extremely excessive, feel for the junior football program which will suffer as a result.

Brutal.

and I hope they go through every single other club with a fine tooth comb and beat them with a big stick too if found to be rorting the system.

It's been going of for years, and people at the top have been turning a blind eye to it until now.

Maybe now we''ll find out where multiple "well run/EvErY oNe WaNtS tO cOmE to Us" because we are so good really belong in the grand scheme of things, being what division they've been in, for how long etc.

I'd recommend every club that's done it to come clean now. before you're dead in the water for the next decade.

EDIT - be ready for the deluge of players that will self report before the clubs can do it...

[Footy Chick]

Might also add that for an offence apparently so serious to warrant an extraordinary fine/huge suspensions that 4 APPS points seems a bit trifling? One player a year?

I'd say that was implemented to encourage them to use 0or 1 pt players and further limit any imports

[jo172]

Might also add that for an offence apparently so serious to warrant an extraordinary fine/huge suspensions that 4 APPS points seems a bit trifling? One player a year?

I'd say that was implemented to encourage them to use 0or 1 pt players and further limit any imports

Seems like they were barely playing with any points this year though?

Point was that 10+ points would seem to be more in proportion to the size of the fines (and not be, in of itself crippling)

[Footy Chick]

Reading between the lines the club has denied the allegations so huge fines have been applied, but will be suspended if they roll over and work with authorities now?

I believe a possible scenario/example could be this:

If they co-operate with the CFB, they might have half of the fine suspended - and then they might be required to pay half of the half that's left and then organise a payment plan for the rest.

So the fine is actually $380 (I think), so if half is suspended, that leaves $190, they'd still be required to fork out $95k up front and make a payment plan for the other $95k.

[jo172]

$300k fine for anything involving semi amateur sport seems extremely excessive, feel for the junior football program which will suffer as a result.

EDIT - be ready for the deluge of players that will self report before the clubs can do it...

It's curious isn't it.

I've been expecting the deluge every time a club has been pinged (Padthaway and Willaston for example) but it's never seemed to come for whatever reason.

EDIT - Was Kybolite not Padthaway, my bad.

[redyellow&blue]

$300k fine for anything involving semi amateur sport seems extremely excessive, feel for the junior football program which will suffer as a result.

EDIT - be ready for the deluge of players that will self report before the clubs can do it...

It's curious isn't it.

I've been expecting the deluge every time a club has been pinged (Padthaway and Willaston for example) but it's never seemed to come for whatever reason.

Will now. especially now that Metro Leagues are being hit hard.

If i were GAZA, i'd be cleaning out the entire committee(s) and be launching a civil suit against the members and committee members involved in this... That's if you want to survive in any form.

[DOC]

These are the kind of posts you hope to never have to type about a club in your competition and this is why we've waited until the inevitable was about to happen before posting (*unlike some outlets that brag about having a secret but we're not going to tell you )

Some time ago, it was reported that Gaza was under investigation for salary cap breaches, over a period of years.

It appears that the CFL will report today that Gaza have been found guilty of APPS breaches, and have copped some pretty heavy sanctions as a result.

We're talking fines of over $300k, loss of 4 APPS points for the next 2 years (ie, they can only play with 11 points) and several club administrators have been banned from taking official positions for periods of anywhere from 5-10 years. They have 7 days to dispute the result.

At this point, I'll also mention that if they work with authorities, there is the option that most of the fine can be suspended.

I'll post the official findings once they've been released.

Please be respectful with your discussion. Yes, they've done the wrong thing but there are also a lot of people at the club who were not involved, and will be feeling very nervous about the future of their club that celebrated 100 years in 2023.

120 years.

The "players" who received the off the books money" not punished?