Newcastle Olympic coach Joel Griffiths will miss five matches after Northern NSW Football suspended him for calling Broadmeadow's Uruguayan keeper Cesar Serpa "a f---ing terrorist" after their June 4 NPL men's game.
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NNSWF had issued Olympic a show cause notice last week as to why Griffiths should not receive the suspension for contravening regulation R6.4 of the Football Australia Code of Conduct and Ethics and Spectator Code of behaviour, which covers "use of discriminatory, homophobic, racist, religious ethnic or sexist language and/or gestures".
Under the regulations, a five-game suspension is standard.
The club was given seven days to respond to the notice, which they did.
The penalty was confirmed on Wednesday, meaning Griffiths will not be allowed to attend matches against Cooks Hill (home), Adamstown (away), Valentine (home), Charlestown (away) and New Lambton (home) over the coming weeks, if wet weather does not force a change in the schedule.
The stretch is crucial to Olympic's hopes of silverware this season. They sit seventh on 24 points, a point outside the top five and 10 behind leaders Charlestown with seven rounds remaining. They finish the regular season with away games against Maitland and Lambton Jaffas.
Griffiths was in charge on Tuesday night as OIympic's Australia Cup run ended - one win short of the nationwide round of 32 - with an extra-time 2-1 loss to Edgeworth at Jack McLaughlan Oval.
NNSWF investigated the incident involving the former Newcastle Jets championship-winning star and Socceroo after it was caught on Bar TV audio following Broadmeadow's 3-1 derby win at Magic Park in round 14.
In the exchange, the words "you f---ing wannabe, you f---ing terrorist" are heard.
Griffiths, in his third year as OIympic coach, was sent off and suspended for match official abuse last season. He was contacted for comment on Thursday.
Olympic secretary Con Gounis said the club submitted a response to the show cause notice but would not be appealing the penalty.
Gounis said assistant coaches Glen Chapman and Harry James would take over from Griffiths on game days, while technical director Alex Tagaroulias could provide additional support.
Tagaroulias served as Olympic interim coach in 2020, while Chapman is a former head coach at Magic and filled the void during Griffiths' suspension last year. James, a former Newcastle Olympic and national league player, joined the first-grade staff this year.
"It will just be business as usual, he'll serve the sanction and we'll just move on from it," Gounis said.
"We accept the sanction and get on with it. Glen and Harry will look after the team on match day."
As for Griffiths coaching Olympic again next season, Gounis said "nothing has been discussed".
"We don't rush into things. We'll give it time and nothing has been decided."
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Craig Kerry
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
Craig Kerry is a sports reporter for the Newcastle Herald.
