Behavioral awareness officers patrol AFL grounds

Many of the security guards leading a crackdown on AFL crowds are 'new arrivals' to Australia who do not understand the sport, claims Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett.

The outspoken former Victorian premier told 3AW that many stadium staff charged with enforcing a crackdown on fan behaviour 'do not have a knowledge' of AFL or its customs.

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

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Hawthorn President and former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett (centre) said fans will not stand for being told what they can and cannot say

Hawthorn President and former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett (centre) said fans will not stand for being told what they can and cannot say

'And yet they make judgements about what's correct and what's not correct. 

'They are new arrivals to Australia, it appears. We don't know that and they could be born here.'

Security at games has come under scrutiny in recent weeks after several fans were removed from games for chants or comments that were deemed inappropriate.

A Carlton fan was kicked out of Marvel Stadium for calling an umpire a 'bald-headed flog' and a Richmond supporter was banned for three matches for calling another a 'green maggot' - a reference to the colour of his shirt and a historically famous Aussie Rules comment.

Over the weekend Melbourne's Marvel Stadium introduced behavioral awareness officers to watch fans, a move that officials admitted went 'too far'.

Kennett - who returned to the role of Hawthorn president this season after six years away - earlier told The Australian that fans would push back against the league and its stadiums.

He said that fans would not stand for suddenly being told what they can, and cannot, say during matches.

Over the weekend Melbourne's Marvel Stadium introduced behavioral awareness officers to watch fans, a move that officials admitted went 'too far.'

Over the weekend Melbourne's Marvel Stadium introduced behavioral awareness officers to watch fans, a move that officials admitted went 'too far.'

'If the AFL is going to be the ­adjudicators of how people are participating in the game or there is an 'expression force' that is coming in to tell people what they can say, they are playing with fire,' he said.

'The more the AFL tells the public whether they can boo or not, the more likely they are to go the other way. We have been doing it for 150 years, for goodness sake.'

Fans were left outraged after spotting the behavioral awareness officers.

Former Essendon player and ex-Adelaide and Fitzroy coach Robert Shaw wrote on Twitter: 'What's happening to our game? Forty years in the game and played, coached and spectated at some inhospitable (wonderful) rival grounds. This is a first for me. Have we really got to this? So sad if we have.' 

AFL cheer squads are claiming they're the subject of surveillance after members have been regularly reprimanded for verbally abusing umpires during games. Pictured: Richmond Tigers fans in April

AFL cheer squads are claiming they're the subject of surveillance after members have been regularly reprimanded for verbally abusing umpires during games. Pictured: Richmond Tigers fans in April 

Fan David Winch replied with a quote from Roman historian Tacitus: 'The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws.'

Another added: 'Political correctness gone into new levels not seen', while one wrote simply: 'The day the music died.' 

Marvel Stadium chief executive Michael Green said increased security would be reviewed.

'We haven't had any direction or requests to increase our security or policing at AFL events, nor have we done,' he told Melbourne

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