Rita Panahi: AFL absurdities are mounting up in 2025

The AFL’s warped moral compass has been shown up with a gay slur treated as an unforgivable sin and a joke interpreted as a “death threat”, but an actual threat of violence ending with calls for the culprit to be supported with group hugs.

Far from representing a serious threat to Michael Voss, a message sent to the MCG’s anti-social hotline was an obvious joke. Picture: Getty

AFL absurdities are mounting up in 2025. From the league’s deliberately flawed illicit drug policy to what it considers a “death threat”, the AFL seems determined to exist in a parallel universe divorced from reality and logic.

Just in the past week we’ve had two well-publicised incidents that reveal the footy world’s warped moral compass.

This is a world where a gay slur is an unforgivable sin worthy of a lengthy suspension, where an obvious joke is somehow interpreted as a “death threat” but where an actual threat of violence ends with calls for the culprit to be supported with group hugs; we were told to throw our arms around Willie Rioli despite the Port Adelaide player being a repeat offender. Sadly, none of the above is hyperbole, it’s not even opinion, it’s objectively true.

Willie Rioli of the Power celebrates a goal. Picture: Getty

The Eagles’ Jack Graham copped a four-match ban for a homophobic slur. Picture: Getty

How many AFL fans felt like utter fools when they realised the outrage they felt towards a fan accused of sending a death threat to Carlton coach Michael Voss was entirely misplaced. Far from being a serious threat, the message sent to the MCG’s anti-social hotline was an obvious joke. It read: “I’d like to report 23 missing persons and pre-emptively report the murder of Michael Voss.”

Now, you may consider it an ill-considered joke, a not particularly clever or funny joke but it’s a joke nevertheless. And, in no way worthy of the wild emoting we saw from the footy world for the better part of a week.

It’s little wonder that Victoria Police dismissed the ‘threat’ claim immediately but the MCG still saw fit to report the matter to the AFL’s humorously named Integrity Department resulting in the man copping a five-year ban from all AFL games.

Voss also has some explaining to do for his hysterical reaction. As someone who has received credible death threats, including from Islamists, the carry-on of the past week has been nothing short of pathetic.

Victoria Police dismissed the ‘threat’ claim over Voss immediately but the MCG still saw fit to report it. Picture: Getty

What a perverse state of affairs when a foolish joke sees a man banned for five years while Rioli’s threat results in just a one-week ban.

To add to the absurdity, this weekend the Eagles’ Jack Graham copped a four-match ban for a homophobic slur against a GWS opponent.

Only in the wacky footy world is an on-field slur a far more grievous offence than threatening to have someone bashed after the game.

Originally published as Rita Panahi: AFL absurdities are mounting up in 2025