A teenage girl wearing a football jersey that incorporated the Palestinian flag was denied entry to an A-League match at Sydney's Allianz Stadium on Sunday evening, in an incident that has raised questions about venue security policies and cultural representation.
Exclusive Details of the Stadium Entry Refusal
Ella Ajaje, a 15-year-old Palestinian Australian, was attempting to enter Allianz Stadium just after 4.30pm on Sunday when security guards stopped her at the turnstiles. She was wearing the jersey of Club Deportivo Palestino, a Chilean football club founded by Palestinian migrants, which prominently displays the word "Palestine" on the front alongside the Palestinian flag colours.
In video footage recorded by her uncle Rumzi Hajaj, a security guard can be heard explaining the refusal by stating: "It's not the dress code. It's the fact it's got Palestine." The guard further elaborated that "We don't allow countries in here other than Australia" and referenced a longstanding policy to prevent conflicts between supporters of different nations.
Compromise Reached After Initial Refusal
After the initial confrontation, a second security guard offered Ella a compromise: she could enter the stadium if she agreed to remove her jersey. The teenager reluctantly accepted this condition, taking off the shirt before proceeding to watch the Wellington Phoenix versus Sydney FC match. She later reported putting the jersey back on inside the stadium without further incident.
Ella expressed her distress about the situation: "It feels really upsetting to be asked to take it off. It's sad you can't represent your culture. The rule was only applying to me because I was wearing 'Palestine' [flag colours]. With everything that is happening with Palestine, it's so sad to see how heartless people can be."
Contradictory Observations from the Scene
Ella and her family members noted what appeared to be inconsistent application of the stadium's policies. Her brother, who was wearing a Portugal national team jersey, entered the stadium without any issues. Furthermore, the family observed other spectators wearing jerseys displaying various national flags who were permitted entry without challenge.
Rumzi Hajaj, who was among eight family members attending the match, expressed his dismay at the treatment of his niece: "I was demoralised." He added that he had personally worn a hat featuring the Palestinian flag and "Free Palestine" messaging approximately a dozen times in the Allianz Stadium members' area over the past two years without encountering problems.
Official Policies and Statements
Allianz Stadium's entry conditions, managed by government agency Venues NSW, state that patrons are "not permitted to wear or otherwise display any unauthorised commercial (ambush marketing), political or other offensive logos or signage." The policy specifically prohibits "any flags or banners which contain text or images which Venues NSW considers to be offensive, discriminatory, political or intimidating in nature."
Similarly, the A-League's terms of admission forbid signals, banners or materials that display "offensive or inappropriate content" or that may "vilify a person, cause offence or incite hatred or violence as determined by APL." Neither policy explicitly mentions a ban on flags representing countries other than Australia.
Organisational Response and Ongoing Discussions
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL), which operates the A-League, released a statement addressing the incident. Chief executive Steve Rosich confirmed that the organisation is "currently discussing the incident with the venue" and emphasised that they take "pride in our multicultural fanbase."
Rosich explained that the APL maintains a restricted items list as part of admission terms, which prohibits items "prohibited by law and are not permitted by venues across the country." He acknowledged that "venue security still deemed the item in this matter to be restricted" but noted that "the young fan was ultimately permitted to enter the stadium after removing the item."
Security at the match is managed by the venue in accordance with both stadium and A-League admission policies. Venues NSW, which operates Allianz Stadium, has been contacted for additional comment regarding the incident and their flag policy implementation.
