MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Soccer fans who made Nazi salutes at the Australia Cup final in Sydney at the weekend should be banned for life, a senior state government official said on Monday.
Football Australia (FA) promised to take strong action in response to "anti-social behaviour" from some supporters in the crowd of 16,000 that saw Macarthur FC beat semi-professional side Sydney United 58 2-0 in Sydney on Saturday.
New South Wales state Premier Dominic Perrottet said the behaviour of some supporters at Western Sydney Stadium was "absolutely horrendous".
"It has no place, not just at sporting games, but anywhere in our state, and I know the police are looking at it," Perrottet told reporters.
"Those people who have done that through those salutes should be banned for life."
Pictures on social media showed Sydney United supporters making Nazi salutes during the match, drawing condemnation from Australian Jewish groups.
Fans also chanted and booed during an Indigenous Australian welcoming ceremony before kickoff.
FA said on Monday it had issued a "show cause notice" to Sydney United under its national code of conduct and ethics.
Show cause notices are issued to clubs and players to allow them to respond to alleged conduct breaches before potential sanctions are handed down.
"The club has separately been also asked to help identify individuals who displayed anti-social and harmful behaviour," FA said in a statement.
Sydney United said on Sunday it had "zero tolerance" for any form of disrespect, racism or discrimination.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
