Soccer-Western Sydney fined for offensive banner

MELBOURNE, Feb 23 (Reuters) - A-League team Western Sydney Wanderers have been fined A$20,000 ($15,000) for bringing the game into "disrepute" after fans displayed an offensive banner during their clash with Sydney FC on Saturday. The banner, depicting a blue-faced man intended to resemble Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold performing a sex act, was held aloft by Wanderers' fans during their 1-0 A-League victory at Sydney's Olympic Stadium. National governing body Football Federation Australia said it had found the club guilty of bringing the game into disrepute through the actions of its supporters following the display of "an unauthorised and highly offensive banner." "The actions of the Western Sydney Wanderers spectators responsible for displaying the banner and the ensuing celebration of the banner on social media were completely unacceptable," A-League head Greg O'Rourke said in a statement on Thursday. On Wednesday, the Wanderers banned 14 fans for 18 months from their 'Red and Black Bloc' supporters group for the banner. The FFA said it would also put fans responsible through its own "banning process". The governing body commended the Wanderers for taking responsibility for its fans' actions. The 2014 Asian Champions League winners have already been given a suspended points deduction until the end of the season after fans lit flares in a previous match. ($1 = 1.3001 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)