UPDATE
The AFL has has since released a statement where they declared the competition is supportive of national flags being flown at games.
Read the competition's full statement below.
“An AFL match day is a place for everyone, we want fans to celebrate their clubs and players, and if that includes displaying national flags that amplify any of their team’s player heritage then the AFL is fully supportive. We should celebrate our players and the game any chance we get,” the statement read.
“For clarity, the AFL has no issue with the flag and signs supporting North Melbourne’s Harry Sheezel on the weekend. Correspondence sent to a patron that had an issue with the flag being displayed was an incorrect interpretation of our conditions of match day entry policy and we apologise for any confusion.
“The AFL conditions of entry policy in place, that amongst other things, regulates signage, flags and banners brought into our venues that have commercial and/or political messages. The AFL and our venues enforce this policy where appropriate.
“The AFL is proud of our diverse and wide-ranging backgrounds, faiths, and origins of all our players and encourage fans to continue to celebrate it accordingly.”
EARLIER
The AFL admits an Israeli flag should not have been permitted at Saturday’s North Melbourne-West Coast game.
The Star of David was displayed prominently behind the goals for the Round 1 clash at Marvel Stadium in support of North’s young Jewish star Harry Sheezel.
But the national flag upset some fans at the game, including North Melbourne supporters, who stressed the league needed to be vigilant when it came to protecting itself from political issues and religious movements.
In an email sent to one supporter by AFL security lead Alistair Meldrum and seen by SEN, the league said the flag should not have been allowed in under the conditions of entry.
“Once identified, it should then have been requested to be seized/confiscated or the patron in possession requested to leave if they refused to surrender the flag,” Meldrum wrote.
“This has been communicated to MSL Venue Management.”
Under the AFL’s ticket and entry conditions, patrons must not “wear or otherwise display commercial, political, religious or offensive signage or logos of any kind”.
North Melbourne was aware of the flag on Saturday, but it is unclear whether the AFL have raised the matter with the club.
Other national flags have been seen at AFL games over the years.
The AFL have today been contacted for comment.
Image attribution: The Australian Jewish News