A woman has been accused of making vile antisemitic remarks during a children’s netball match in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. The alleged incident occurred on Saturday morning at Heffron Park in Maroubra during an under-12s game between Maccabi and Saints Netball Club.
Alleged Remarks and Witness Accounts
Witnesses claim the woman, whose child was playing for The Saints, directed offensive slurs at Jewish children from the sidelines. She is alleged to have said, 'F*** the Jews, they should have all been eradicated,' in reference to players from the Jewish Maccabi team. Some witnesses further reported that she made additional comments about genocide and accused Jewish people of 'playing the victim' when challenged.
The outburst was overheard by dozens of players, parents, and spectators, including up to 100 Jewish families. At least one attendee had given evidence at the Royal Commission into antisemitism just last week. Several children were reportedly left distressed, with one young player wanting to remove her Maccabi uniform because she no longer felt safe being visibly identified as Jewish.
Police Response and Investigation
New South Wales Police confirmed that officers attended the Heffron Park courts after receiving reports of offensive comments. A photo supplied to Daily Mail shows the woman being spoken to by a female policewoman as other officers and a crowd looked on. Police spoke to the 42-year-old woman and issued her with a move-on direction. No charges have been laid, and investigations remain ongoing. Daily Mail has chosen not to identify the woman.
Confrontation by Jewish Leader
Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ) co-chief executive Alex Ryvchin attended the courts shortly after the incident and confronted the woman, sharing a video online. In the footage, Ryvchin asks, 'Did you say what’s been alleged?' The woman replied, 'No why?' Ryvchin then said, 'Multiple witnesses have said that you said “f*** the Jews” and Jews should be eradicated.' The woman, surrounded by family members, responded, 'Are you going to call the police … you can call them, I’m happy to speak to them,' before walking away.
Ryvchin described the alleged behaviour as 'disgusting.' He added, 'The fact that 100 Jewish families were there whose children saw this are now going to feel different going to weekend sports next week. They’re going to feel anxious, they’re going to be concerned and worried if there will be another run-in like this.'
Club and Association Responses
Saints Netball Club released a statement saying the alleged comments did not reflect its values: 'The Saints Netball Club unequivocally condemns and disavows antisemitism in all its forms. Such remarks do not reflect the values, principles or standards of our club, our members, our players or our wider community.' The club did not respond to inquiries about whether the parent would be banned from future matches.
Maccabi Australia general manager David Goldman described the incident as 'deeply traumatic' and 'distressing.' He said, 'It’s a sporting event where children are just trying to play netball on Saturday morning, yet a parent feels it necessary to make these antisemitic remarks. It’s a serious incident, not isolated to Sydney or netball. It happens across other sporting codes and it’s certainly been on the increase since October 7.'
Randwick Netball Association has launched its own investigation alongside Netball NSW. The association president stated, 'Netball is a place where everyone is welcome and we will not tolerate antisemitic or discriminatory behaviour in our community in any way. Right now our priority is care for the Maccabi Netball Club and all of its members. My message to you is that you are welcome, you belong, and you are valued.'
NSW Jewish Board of Deputies president David Ossip said there should be 'no tolerance for racism or discrimination' in children’s sport. The incident comes just days after members of Sydney’s Jewish community gave evidence at the royal commission into antisemitism, recounting the fear and trauma experienced since the October 7 attacks and the Bondi Junction massacre last December.
