Soccer moms trade blows at awards ceremony

Two Australian soccer mums were called into court after brawling over who was to blame for a grand final loss at their daughters' awards ceremony. Vickie Jovanovski and Angela Tasevski - whose 11-year-old daughters played on the same team - were hauled into court over the assault, which happened in front of a room full of children.

The women began arguing about who was to blame for the loss in a junior soccer league final held about an hour south of Sydney, when they got into a physical fight. Witnesses said Tasevski shoved Jovanovski, who in turn pulled the other woman's hair.

The women's husbands tried to break them up but ended up throwing punches as well, the court heard. Ms Tasevski also allegedly lost several clumps of hair in the fight last September. Judge Ian Guy found Jovanovski guilty of assault but did not sentence her to jail, though he did criticise both women.

"I accept there was an element of provocation that led you to behave the way you did, [but] to get to the level that there is an all-in brawl ... what message does that send in terms of good behaviour to young people? It ruined the day for all concerned, I'm sure," he said.