A Western Sydney A-League fan banned by Football Federation Australia (FFA) has spoken out about his penalty on ABC’s 7.30 program.

Julian Cumbo, who was issued his ban notice when aged 16 by the game’s governing body, claimed that although he was involved in an incident, he was never charged by police.

• FFA security ‘spies on fans, supporters’
• More charges in FIFA corruption case

On a weekend when active supporter groups are boycotting A-League games around the country over what they see as an unfair banning process – where they must prove their innocence, rather than FFA proving their guilt – Cumbo has become the first of nearly 200 names published in a News Corp Australia report to discuss his ban.

“We’re getting classified as hooligans, criminals, thugs – it’s just uncalled for,” Cumbo told 7.30.

“I’ve never got charged by the police.

“I got interviewed by police, but they’d seen there was no reason to charge me.

“I got a five-year ban for getting spoken to by the police.

“Other people have been banned for jaywalking, throwing streamers in the air and swearing.”

Julian says his banning notice states, if breached, the “FFA will seek to have you prosecuted for trespass” and that “your personal details … are being maintained in accordance with the Football Federation Australia Privacy Policy and relevant Statutes”.

The notice was delivered by a private security firm.

“First it was an email – I thought it was a joke from a friend,” Julian said.

“Two days later, I got a knock on the door from two people, males, stating that they’re from FFA handing me the papers, and didn’t say nothing, smiled and walked away.

“Same thing happened the week later, same two gentleman, and for a good six months, every single week, handed me the exact same papers – same people that followed me from work.”

Many fans have levelled criticism at FFA and CEO David Gallop for not defending the sport when Scott Weber, from the NSW Police Association, labelled them “grubs”.

“No one jumped to our defence,” Rod Perez, a Wanderers fan who has not been banned, told 7.30.

“There are a lot of issues but, personally, that one was the most offensive to me and that really gave me the motivation to join the RBB (Red and Black Bloc) and boycott (the game).”