AFL clears Ross Lyon after incident with fan at ANZ Stadium
AFL clears Ross Lyon of any wrongdoing after incident on Saturday
THE AFL will take no further action following an investigation into an altercation between Fremantle coach Ross Lyon and a spectator at Saturday's qualifying final at ANZ Stadium.
The League's football operations department received a security report from ANZ Stadium on Monday and analysed all available vision of the incident, which occurred at three-quarter time of the Dockers' loss to the Sydney Swans.
The coach briefly responded, with Fremantle fan David Soale claiming Lyon had grabbed him by the throat after he had offered words of encouragement.
League football operations manager Mark Evans said it was the AFL’s view that fans should have no physical contact with players and coaches at any time.
He said Lyon needed to be allowed to head directly to the playing surface to fulfil his duties and no further action would be taken.
Lyon played down the incident on Saturday night.
"Someone hit me on the back and I responded. That was about the size of it," he said after the Dockers' loss.
"I just felt some force to my back so I turned around and said 'Please don't do that'.
"It (walking through the crowd) is never an issue but you only need one.
"It is a safe environment, you've got security, sometimes things happen."