Liberal candidate forced to apologise for insulting young girl in basketball match

November 11, 2026 — 5:00amA Liberal candidate who coaches junior basketball was suspended for bringing the game into disrepute after a parent accused him of mocking an opposition under-14s player during a game and calling her “crap”.Paul Lindemann is running in Williamstown, a traditionally safe Labor seat, but the Liberals and other candidates believe they have a shot at winning as the state election draws closer thanks to a combination of local issues such as data centres and level crossing removals.Paul Lindemann has apologised for an incident as a basketball coach which saw him suspended for six weeks.Jason SouthAs part of his pitch as a local identity, Lindemann has made his passion for basketball well known, including his efforts as a junior coach.But two sources, speaking anonymously to detail tribunal proceedings that were not made public, told The Age that Lindemann landed in hot water last year over his conduct at an under-14 girls game.Documents verified by The Age show Lindemann was suspended for six weeks for a charge of “bringing the game into disrepute”. His suspension included a ban on attending any games run by Basketball Victoria or its affiliated associations, a restriction that also extended Australia-wide.The sanction stemmed from a complaint made after a February 2025 game between the Bay City Lakers and the Altona Pirates.A report collected from witness statements alleged Lindemann, the coach of Lakers, shouted aggressively at an under-14s Pirates player and followed her up and down the court, clapping and cheering sarcastically when she made a mistake.It was also alleged he made remarks about the same player to other parents after the game, including words to the effect of “she is crap”.In a statement on Tuesday, Lindemann apologised for his actions.“During a game I was coaching, one of my players was thrown to the ground behind the play. My first instinct was to protect my player, and I entered the court to check on their welfare,” he said.“In doing so, I called out an opposition player over their conduct towards my player.“While I will always stand up for my players, I acknowledge I should have handled the situation differently and should not have entered the court. I apologise for my actions.”Lindemann said he served out his suspension and then continued to coach “without incident”.“Basketball has been an important part of my life, and I have always been passionate about supporting young players and helping them develop.”At the time, Lindemann contested the charges, but a hearing in March last year found him guilty of “bringing basketball into disrepute”, and resulted in him being suspended for six weeks.Liberal corflutes, once a rare sight in Williamstown, now blanket some of the electorate’s busiest streets.Jason SouthThe coach sought to appeal the decision after it was delivered, including to the National Sports Tribunal. His appeals were ultimately not successful.Lindemann argued he was not provided with statements from witnesses, according to documents he lodged with Basketball Victoria, and that he did not know CCTV would be used in the hearing so he could not respond comprehensively to questions.He disputed that the phrase used at the time was “she is crap”. Instead, he claimed to have said that “the actions of that player were crap, and anyone who plays basketball like that should not be playing”.In his appeal, Lindemann also raised concerns about what action, if any, was taken against other parents who attended the match. He alleged that their conduct was threatening and should also have led to sanctions.Basketball Victoria confirmed Lindemann’s six-week suspension, saying his bid to challenge it was unsuccessful because it “did not meet the grounds for appeal”.“Basketball Victoria takes complaints of aggressive behaviour seriously and handles them in line with the applicable policies and by-laws,” a spokesperson said.Williamstown has been held by Labor for all but four years since 1889, and with a double-digit two-party preferred margin at every election since the 1940s. Local MP and government frontbencher Melissa Horne retained the seat four years ago with a two-party-preferred margin of 13.4 per cent.But Lindemann has been prominent in the seat after announcing his candidacy, appearing at railway stations, on billboards and at Liberal Party events in the heart of Labor territory.He joined the party last year and told The Age in October he had considered himself a swing voter until recent elections.In September, Lindemann appeared alongside comedian Dave Hughes for a “Pub Talk” event as he ramped up his campaign. It was one of Hughes’ last official events for the Liberal Party, before he was informed that appearing as an entertainer or a guest speaker could breach campaign finance laws that consider “provision of a service” as an in-kind donation.Horne, who has represented Williamstown since 2018, acknowledged last month that she faced a challenge to hold the seat.From our partners