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A woman has been charged with using offensive language after alleged antisemitic comments were made at a children’s netball involving a Jewish-led team in Sydney.

New South Wales police said it was called to netball courts at Heffron Park in Maroubra just after 10am on Saturday, after reports a woman had made offensive comments towards a group of people at an under-12s game between the Maccabi and Saints netball clubs.

Officers spoke with a 42-year-old woman, who was initially given a move-on direction, police said.

After further inquiries, police on Sunday said the woman was charged with allegedly using offensive language in or near a public place or school. She is due to appear before the Waverley local court on 17 June.

In a statement to club members on Saturday, the president of Maccabi Netball NSW, Adam Dinte, said the organisation was aware of an alleged “deeply distressing” incident.

Dinte said the club was communicating with the police and the Jewish-led Community Security Group (CSG) in relation to the alleged incident, and was writing a formal letter of complaint to the Randwick Netball Association and the Saints netball club.

The alleged incident came after the first week of public hearings of the royal commission into antisemitism.

The president of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, David Ossip, said he was aware of the alleged incident.

In a statement posted to social media, the Saints netball club said it was aware of the alleged incident in which “a supporter associated with the club is alleged to have made comments of an antisemitic nature”.

“The Saints Netball Club unequivocally condemns and disavows antisemitism in all its forms,” it said.

The president of the Randwick Netball Association, Jenny Morrissey, said the organisation was working with Netball NSW “as we investigate and respond to the matter”.

“Netball is a place where everyone is welcome,” she said.

The NSW environment minister, Penny Sharpe, said the government was “very concerned” by the alleged incident.

“Kids should be able to play sports safely. Our Jewish community should be able to move around and live in this community free from fear and free from abuse,” she said.