THE Dimboola Football Netball Club has received significant penalties from AFL Wimmera-Mallee after being found guilty of breaching Allowable Player Payments during the 2021 season.
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AFLWM laid charges against the senior football side after an appointed integrity officer conducted random APP reviews.
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An AFLWM independent player payment disciplinary committee heard the charges on Wednesday, April 6, and found the Roos guilty of breaching the APP in 2021.
The sanctions involve a $20, 000 financial penalty ($10, 000 suspended), a reduction in player points for the senior football team in 2022 and the loss of 12 premiership points for the senior football team in 2022.
Dimboola senior football coach Justin Beugelaar spoke to ACM about the League's decision.
"The club's going to release a statement in the coming days," Beugelaar said.
"We acknowledge the decision the league has come to but our statement will come out in the next couple of days or so."
"All I really want out of this or what I ask for is that, clubs are entrusted with a massive amount of money in a salary cap and and there's no education given by anyone on how to best handle the situation.
"So that's what frustrates me the most and the fact that we're getting three games taken off us because of a season last year that didn't even eventuate into a premiership.
"It is what it is and as a club it just brings us closer together and we're just really pumped for this week and for the year ahead."
Beugelaar spoke of the impact the sanctions would have on the club.
"The financial (aspect) obviously hurts but the player points system itself we won't have any dramas with," he said.
"It's just the games and to start three games behind is pretty frustrating."
Ahead of 2022, Dimboola received the following sanctions:
(a) Fine: $20,000, of which Dimboola FC must pay $10,000 and $10,000 is suspended and only payable if Dimboola FC breaches any further rules in the next two years.
The Committee suggests that the money from the fine is put towards better education around player payments.
(b) Premiership Points: Dimboola FC loses 12 Premiership Points for the 2022 Senior football season.
The team starts the season on -12 points.
This does not affect the other clubs who are playing Dimboola FC (i.e. they do not receive an automatic win or forfeit because of this).
(c) Player Points: Dimboola FCs Total Team points per game are reduced by 15% (rounded up to the nearest whole number) for the 2022 Football Season.
Dimboola will have 38 Total team points available for season 2022.
Integrity Review: Dimboola FC is reviewed for the 2022 Football Season as to its player payments.
All sanctions are relevant to the senior team only.
Outgoing AFL Wimmera Mallee Region manager Jason Muldoon thanked the integrity officer for the completed comprehensive review. He also acknowledged Dimboola FC for the club's honesty and willingness to work collaboratively with AFLWM and the integrity officer.
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