A 42-year-old woman has been charged after allegedly making anti-Semitic comments during an under-12 girls netball match in Sydney. The incident has prompted urgent responses from sporting bodies and political figures, while separate reports detail a rising pattern of anti-Semitic incidents in school sports.
Incident at Heffron Park
"F--- the Jews. They should have been eradicated."
On Saturday, May 31, 2026, at approximately 10:00 AM, New South Wales Police responded to a report of offensive comments made during a netball game between Maccabi Netball Club and Saints Netball Club at Heffron Park in Maroubra.
Police spoke to a 42-year-old woman at the scene and issued her a move-on direction. The following day, Sunday, June 1, the woman was charged and issued a Court Attendance Notice for using offensive language in or near a public place or school. She is scheduled to appear at Waverley Local Court on Wednesday, June 17.
The alleged remarks were reportedly made in the presence of a Jewish mother who had testified at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion earlier that week.
Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry (ECAJ), who attended the scene after the incident, stated that a man overheard the woman and asked her to repeat the comment, which she did. In a video provided to the ABC, Ryvchin confronted the woman, who denied making the remarks. Ryvchin also reported that parents from the Saints club defended the woman, with one man reportedly stating, "There's a reason why this happens to you people every weekend," and "You're always playing the victim."
Charges and Suspension
The woman charged in connection with the incident was identified in one report as Jody Scarcella, 42. She was not arrested. Netball NSW has provisionally suspended the individual from attending or participating in any netball activities while the matter is under investigation.
Responses from Clubs and Associations
- Maccabi Netball Club President Adam Dinte called the incident "completely unacceptable" and stated the club is cooperating with police and the Community Security Group.
- Saints Netball Club released a statement saying it "unequivocally condemns and disavows antisemitism in all forms" and offered apologies to the Jewish community.
- Randwick Netball Association President Jenny Morrissey stated the organization is working with Netball NSW to investigate.
- Netball Australia's interim CEO, Mark Falvo, confirmed the provisional suspension of the alleged individual.
- NSW Jewish Board of Deputies President David Ossip called for a swift investigation and zero tolerance for racism in children's sport.
- NSW Energy Minister Penny Sharpe described the alleged incident as "absolutely unacceptable."
Broader Context
Nearly one in two Maccabi members have witnessed or experienced anti-Semitism in sport.
The incident occurred following the first week of public hearings at the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion. During those hearings, AJAX football club president Daniel Onas testified about an "unprecedented" rise in anti-Semitic incidents in community sport.
Maccabi Australia General Manager David Goldman stated that a survey of 670 Maccabi members found that nearly one in two had witnessed or experienced anti-Semitism in sport, noting a spike in incidents since October 7, 2023. Goldman described the incident as part of a broader pattern.
Separate Incident: Reports of Anti-Semitism in School Sports
Mount Scopus Memorial College in Melbourne reported multiple anti-Semitic incidents during interschool sports.
A 14-year-old student from the college reported seeing a student from another private school perform a Nazi salute during an interschool swimming carnival. The student, using the pseudonym Eli, said he became distressed and left early.
Mount Scopus Principal Dan Sztrajt reported that the school has dealt with approximately one anti-Semitic incident at interschool sports every five to six weeks, and about three times a week including online harassment. Recent incidents include:
- At a year 9 soccer game, a team shouted "let's go kill those Jews."
- At another game, a student yelled "JGA," an abbreviation for "Jewish gassing association."
- About two weeks prior to the report, a year 11 student playing senior school girls football was called a "fat Jew." The opposing student denied the slur, and without a corroborating witness, the matter was not pursued.
Reported anti-Semitic incidents against Jewish students rose from 8 in 2022 to 79 in 2025.
Other incidents mentioned include:
- In 2024, the words "Jew die" were painted on the Mount Scopus school fence.
- In July 2024, a group of boys from Gladstone Park Secondary College allegedly called 10-year-old children "dirty Jews" during a Melbourne Museum excursion.
- In March 2025, students from Crookwell High School made an anti-Semitic remark to a year 6 Mount Scopus student at Questacon in Canberra.
Independent Schools Victoria is hosting a roundtable on June 19, 2025, to discuss tackling anti-Semitism. Mount Scopus runs an outreach program where non-Jewish students visit and learn about Judaism; approximately 30 schools and 6,500-7,000 students have participated over the past 10 years.