A woman has been charged after allegedly making antisemitic comments during an under-12 girls netball game in Sydney.
Officers attended Heffron Park in Maroubra about 10am on Saturday, following reports of offensive comments made during a match between Maccabi Netball Club and Saints Netball Club.
A 42-year-old woman was spoken to at the scene and issued with a move-on order, but was not arrested.
On Sunday, she was charged and issued with a Court Attendance Notice for using offensive language in or near a public place or school.
She was due to appear at Waverley Local Court on Wednesday, June 17.
Mr Ryvchin confronted the woman, 42, over the alleged incident. (ABC News: Jak Rowland)
Executive Council of Australian Jewry co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin, who attended the scene after the incident, said the woman allegedly told parents and players associated with the opposing club, “F*** the Jews”, adding that Jewish people “should have been eradicated”.
“A man walked past and heard her and asked her what she said and she repeated the phrase,” Mr Ryvchin claimed.
In a video supplied to the ABC, Mr Ryvchin could be seen confronting the woman over the alleged incident.
“Did you actually say what’s being alleged,” Mr Ryvchin said in the video.
“No,” the woman said multiple times.
“Oh my god, so are we going to call the police,” she added before saying she was happy to speak to them.
The alleged incident took place on Saturday morning at Heffron Park in Maroubra. (ABC News: Thorsten Joses )
‘No immediate consequences’
Mr Ryvchin said other parents associated with the Saints club came forward to defend the woman after she was confronted.
“One man was recorded saying that ‘There’s a reason why this happens to you people every weekend’, and ‘You’re always playing the victim’,” he said.
“We’re all families, Australian families, just watching our kids play and having a good time and enjoying the weekend, it’s disgusting.”
Impact of antisemitism on kids heard at inquiry
He said he was disappointed the Saints Netball club had not acted swiftly to condemn the woman’s alleged behaviour during the match.
“The first response should have been from the woman’s own club, from other parents on her team to say, ‘You have brought us into disgrace’,” he said.
“This is just not acceptable in any circumstance. They should have moved her on.
“There are no immediate consequences. People don’t know how to react and therefore it becomes tolerated.”
Behaviour condemned
In a statement posted online, the Saints Netball club said it “unequivocally condemns and disavows antisemitism in all forms”.
“Such remarks do not reflect the values, principles, or standards of our club, our members, our players, or our wide community,” the statement said.
“The Saints Netball club offers our sincerest and most unreserved apologies to the Jewish community and to those affected.”
Randwick Netball Association said it would not tolerate antisemitic or discriminatory behaviour.
“We are working with Netball NSW to apply the applicable integrity framework as we investigate and respond to the matter,” the statement said.
Ms Sharpe called the alleged incident “absolutely unacceptable”. (ABC News)
The ABC has made attempts to contact the woman involved.
On Sunday, NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe said she was “horrified” by the “absolutely unacceptable” alleged incident.
“Kids playing sport on a Saturday morning, particularly Jewish kids, should not have to deal with that nor should their families,” she said.
Comments come amid Royal Commission
The incident comes after the first week of hearings at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion.
AJAX football club president Daniel Onas told the inquiry this week there had been an “unprecedented” rise in incidents in community sport, including players being told “Hitler should have finished you off”, and a Jewish parent being called “a bloody Jew” during a match.
Mr Ryvchin said he hoped the woman involved in the netball incident would receive a life ban from attending future games, saying it was “a perfect case study of what has been going on in our society for too long”.
“To have this sort of abhorrent, vile behaviour on the sidelines of a netball game, it’s just ridiculous. No-one should have to put up with this and we’re not going put up this,”
he said.