THE AFL has hit back at an erroneous newspaper report that claimed veteran soldiers would not receive tickets to this year's Anzac Day clash between Collingwood and Essendon at the MCG.
A report published online by The Age referenced an email sent to the Federation of Totally and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) former service personnel by the Melbourne Cricket Club (MCC).
The email claimed the annual tradition of Anzac Day marchers receiving free entry to the MCG on April 25 would be ceased.
On Wednesday afternoon, the AFL issued a statement denying the report.
The statement, in its entirety, read:
"The AFL wishes to correct a story published by The Age online today after the media outlet elected to publish online without waiting on a response from the AFL.
"The story incorrectly asserted that veteran soldiers would be denied free tickets to this year’s MCG Anzac Day match. This is completely wrong.
"As has been the case previously, the AFL’s longstanding arrangement of providing an allocation of Anzac Day tickets to disabled soldiers, free of charge, is again in place for the 2014 season."
The AFL took to social media after the initial statement was distributed, saying the Victorian TPI office had received their tickets for the Anzac Day match.
Earlier this week, the AFL was criticised for its new ticketing system, which prices tickets into five separate categories for games played at the MCG and Etihad Stadium, according to the popularity of each game.
Last weekend, Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said the new system discriminated against those who earned less.
AFL crowds are down year-on-year after the opening two rounds of the season, with the round two total attendance almost 35,000 lower than the corresponding round in 2013.
