New Guidelines Set to Help Convey Club Heritage

Football Victoria (FV) has written to all member clubs this week welcoming new guidelines which will assist them convey the full story of their Victorian heritage.

Last month, Football Federation Australia (FFA) announced its decision to retract the National Club Identity Policy (NCIP) and replace the policy with a set of guidelines titled Inclusivity Principles for Club Identity (IPCI).

The change, effective immediately, reflects the move to a ‘guidelines-based’ approach to deal specifically with the issue of club identity – such as a club’s name, logo, principles and actions.

FV CEO Peter Filopoulos said FV played a key leadership role to remove the NCIP following a lengthy period of wide consultation.

"We believe this outcome will benefit football not only in Victoria, but across Australia," Mr Filopoulos said.

“The guidelines will assist our clubs in conveying the story of their Victorian heritage and celebrating the vibrant communities upon which many of them have been established,” he said.

“As this announcement has occurred mid-season, we advise our football family that any requested changes to club names or logos will be considered at the completion of the 2019 season. This will enable a smooth administrative transition in time for the 2020 season.”

“As a wider footballing family, we must continually strive to promote the richness and diversity of our footballing history. Our sport is best placed and truly capable of expressing the story of modern and multicultural Australia.”

Click Here - FFA Inclusivity Principles for Club Identity

With the retraction of the NCIP, there is no longer a national policy prohibiting clubs associating with a nationality – i.e. by displaying a United Nations approved foreign national flag on club uniforms.

However, all clubs must note that FV will continue to act in the best interests of football in Victoria and applying its own criteria for approving playing strips, including compliance with FV commercial agreements, club licence agreements, state and national regulations, rules of competitions and GDT where appropriate.

“FV will continue to work together with our clubs to ensure the positive implementation of these changes,” Mr Filopoulos concluded.