'Not being racist': Hawks boss weighs in on AFL controversy

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has sparked accusations of racism after suggesting on Melbourne radio that security guards were ill-equipped to work AFL games because they are “new arrivals”.

The AFL and Marvel Stadium were forced into an embarrassing backflip on Sunday after insisting earlier in the week that their policies on policing fan behaviour at games were unchanged.

Fans complained about a heavy-handed security presence, just days after the AFL insisted nothing had changed.

CONTROVERSIAL: Pinching Hawthorn skipper sent straight to tribunal

Several incidents of security cracking down on seemingly normal barracking during games have dogged the league for the last two rounds.

Speaking to host Neil Mitchell on 3AW, Kennett suggested security guards “did not have knowledge of our game”.

“I’m not being racist when I say this, but when I saw some of the footage, the people who are making judgments while they wear these authoritative coats, are not people who appear to have a great knowledge of our game,” Kennett said.

Mitchell quickly shut down Kennett’s suggestion, pointing out there was no way of knowing whether or not those employed as security were indeed new arrivals.

“I don’t think ethnicity has anything to do with this at all,” Mitchell said once the interview had concluded.

Kennett though, would not be deterred.

“All I’m saying is the sporting arena is where people relax, where they support their tribe, and what is happening now is unacceptable,” the Hawthorn president said.

Stadium concedes security went ‘too far’

Amid growing unrest, which peaked last week after a Carlton supporter was ejected from Marvel Stadium for calling an umpire a 'bald-headed flog', AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan denied issuing a directive to crackdown on fan behaviour.

Marvel Stadium chief executive Michael Green backed that assertion when he spoke to Melbourne's SEN on Sunday, when he explained that the new measures were part of the stadium's response to incidents of crowd violence over the past 12 months.

"We haven't had any direction or requests to increase our security or policing at AFL events, nor have we done," Green said.

"But what we have done over the last number of weeks is increase our visual presence of our security.

"Clearly, from (the feedback) we've taken that too far. We don't want our fans to feel intimidated by security.

“We actually want them to feel safe and secure, so it's something that we will be reviewing to make sure that we get that balance right."

With some fans feeling like big brother is watching them, eyebrows were raised when pictures circulated via social media on Saturday showing members of the stadium security force wearing 'behavioural awareness officer' bibs.

Green said the officers had been in place all season and explained they are guards who have received extra training in identifying and diffusing problems in the crowd.