Officials had announced plans to bolster security at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) following a concerning incident on Thursday, where two men were found with firearms at an Australian Rules football match.
The breach, described as "disappointing" by authorities, prompted an immediate review of stadium security protocols.
Police revealed that they had discovered weapons on a 21-year-old man and a 27-year-old man after both refused to leave the MCG due to their disruptive behaviour during the match between Collingwood and Carlton, which had drawn a crowd of 82,058 spectators. The men were arrested and subsequently charged with firearms possession and additional offences.
While screening units had detected the guns when the men entered the stadium, officials admitted that security personnel had not conducted a thorough follow-up search. As a result, the MCG's CEO, Stuart Fox, confirmed that security measures would be ramped up. "As a result, we will be increasing the extensiveness of the secondary manual security process, and patrons may experience slight delays as they attend upcoming events," Fox stated.
Fox emphasised that the MCG would continue to collaborate closely with Victoria Police, the AFL, and its security provider to ensure the venue's security procedures remained robust.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon condemned the incident as "extremely disappointing," asserting that more than 1.2 million fans had attended matches that season and that authorities would work together to ensure the safety and comfort of all those attending future games. Dillon also stated that the two men would be banned for life from attending AFL matches.
According to police, both men were on bail at the time of the incident. They were taken into custody and remanded to appear before Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.
