Soccer: Ifill abuser banned for two years

An Adelaide United fan who racially abused Wellington Phoenix striker Paul Ifill has been banned from attending any Football Federation Australia-controlled match for two years. Photo / Getty Images.

An Adelaide United fan who racially abused Wellington Phoenix striker Paul Ifill has been banned from attending any Football Federation Australia-controlled match for two years.

Ifill was the subject of a "blatantly racist'' remark from a fan behind the Phoenix bench after he was substituted in his side's 3-1 defeat to the Reds last weekend.

The Phoenix reported the incident to match officials who contacted South Australian police to investigate the matter. The perpetrator has now been identified and the FFA today announced the man would be prohibited from attending any match under their jurisdiction for a period of two years.

In addition to the sanction, Adelaide United have simultaneously cancelled the club membership held by the person.

The case was believed to be the first incident of racism in the A-League, but the punishment in in line with similar sanctions handed to fans found guilty of racial offences at football matches in Europe.

Ifill, an English-born Barbados international, took to Twitter after the match complaining of abuse from a "very small minority'' of fans.

"Not happy been a long time since IV had to deal with anything like that,'' he wrote. "A few things that were blatantly racist that I'd rather not repeat.''

Adelaide United conveyed their concerns to Ifill and the Phoenix said they had accepted an "unequivocal apology''.