Melbourne Vixens have been fined $50,000 by Netball Australia after they failed to travel to Perth for their Super Netball clash when some key players were locked out of the state.
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Three senior Vixens - Jo Weston, Kate Moloney and Emily Mannix - were refused entry for their round eight grand final rematch in June against the Fever after they travelled to Byron Bay, which was then considered a red zone by the West Australian government.
That left the Vixens with eight players for the clash, with the team unable to add Victorian-based top-up players and they opted not to fly from their Brisbane base.
The match was initially cancelled by NA and then rescheduled.
NA announced on Wednesday it had concluded an investigation into the circumstances of the fixture disruption.
It found the Vixens breached the Suncorp Super Netball League Team Participation Agreement (TPA) by failing to travel to Perth and play the fixtured match.
The Vixens were fined $50,000, with $25,000 suspended for two years, and ordered to pay $31,702.92 for the costs to replay the match at Nissan Arena on July 22.
"Whilst the investigation noted this was an unprecedented circumstance and there was no deliberate intent to disrupt the competition, we take any breach of the rules seriously," said Netball Australia CEO Kelly Ryan.
"Netball Australia recognises that clearer processes and protocols are required for the 2022 Suncorp Super Netball season."
The club accepted the fine but were unhappy to have been found guilty of the breach.
"We are disappointed with the outcome considering the evidence we supplied throughout the review," said Netball Victoria and the Melbourne Vixen boss Rosie King.
"We are also disappointed that other options initially presented by the league - such as to delay the game for 24 hours to enable the entire team to travel, or to relocate the game to South Australia or Queensland - were not explored or supported.
"Nor was the league's 'COVID-19 Decision Making Process' enacted which would have provided a framework for teams to follow in such circumstances.
"We understand, however, that the environment in which everyone was working in was extraordinarily difficult.
"We hope that the league's protocols are likewise reviewed as part of a continual improvement exercise."
Australian Associated Press
