Jervois FC accepts penalties for player salary cap breaches

The SANFL wishes to advise that Jervois Football Club has accepted fines totalling $26,500, loss of premiership points and player points over the next two seasons for breaches of player payment regulations in 2022.

The Club will be stripped of four premiership points in 2023 and four points in season 2024, and will be limited to four points under the Approved Player Points System (APPS) for 2024 and 2025.

Charges for breaches of Player Payment Salary Cap regulations were laid by SANFL earlier this month against the club after an extensive investigation conducted by SANFL’s Integrity department. The penalties were approved last week by the SA Football Commission before being formally accepted by the club.

The charges against the club, which competes in the River Murray Football League (RMFL), were in relation to travel payments (including flights), which led to breaches of the match payment limit and failing to declare full payment details.

SANFL’s investigations found there were no breaches of the Salary Cap in seasons 2020 and 2021, the years in which the club won consecutive Premierships in the RMFL.

Club officials and players involved fully co-operated throughout the investigation and this was reflected in the penalties and sanctions imposed.

A summary of the penalties is as follows: 

• $26,500 fine ($9,500 of which is suspended)
• Limited to a total of four points allocated under the Approved Player Points System (APPS) in both season 2024 and 2025
• Loss of 8 premiership points in 2023 and 2024 (four points per year).

SANFL Head of Country Football Shawn Ford said:

“The penalties issued to Jervois Football Club are a reminder to all community football clubs that breaches of the salary cap regulations will be comprehensively investigated by the SANFL Integrity and Compliance department.

“The Club, led by newly appointed President Zane Barry, has been fully co-operative throughout the investigation. The current Executive of the Club also has demonstrated a commitment to improving internal controls and taking the club in a positive direction.

“The club’s co-operation, including that of the officials and players who were the subject of the various salary cap breaches, have been taken into consideration with the imposed sanctions. Furthermore, no charges were brought against the individual offending players and officials.

“The Salary Cap regulations have been in place for some time and there is no excuse for any player or official breaching these rules.

“It is crucial that all those involved in Community Football are aware that it is everyone’s responsibility to ensure compliance with Salary Cap Regulations including club officials and players.”