AFL boss Andrew Demetriou says Eddie McGuire will go through the league's Racial and Religious Vilification process

THE AFL has done a U-Turn and ordered Eddie McGuire to sit down with Adam Goodes for a mediation session brought on by the league.

THE AFL has done a U-Turn and ordered Eddie McGuire to sit down with Adam Goodes after the Collingwood president was tonight subject to the AFL's Racial and Religious Vilification Policy.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou earlier today said McGuire would escape any league sanctions.

But the AFL tonight released a statement announcing McGuire will be dealt With Under AFL Player Rule 30.

McGuire is set for a mediation session with Goodes.

If the matter is resolved at conciliation, McGuire will attend an education program approved by the AFL with Collingwood to foot the bill.

If he refused to go along with it, McGuire would face a fine from the AFL.

“Mr McGuire’s comments about Sydney Swans player Adam Goodes were extremely disappointing and totally unacceptable," AFL boss Mr Demetriou said tonight.

“Given the impact they have had on Mr Goodes as well as the Sydney Swans and the wider football community, the AFL has deemed that Mr McGuire, as a club president, must go through the Racial and Religious Vilification Policy process required by the AFL Player Rules.

“Mr McGuire’s ill-judged comments have clearly compounded the hurt caused to Mr Goodes by the incident last Friday night. As a result, Mr McGuire will be treated under the Rules as we would anyone else within the AFL competition.

“The AFL has worked hard over many years to eliminate all forms of racism from the game, and we will continue to do so through our policies, educational programs and by the example we set.

“I have spoken with Eddie McGuire today and he has reiterated to me his strong and ongoing commitment to a range of Indigenous programs undertaken by the AFL and the Collingwood Football Club, and also to the AFL’s Racial and Religious Vilification Policy".

McGuire suggested on Melbourne's Triple M that  Goodes be invited to promote King Kong - The Musical, just days after a 13-year-old Magpies supporter racially vilified the Swans player by calling him  an "ape''.

Earlier today, Demetriou originally said it was a very "un-Eddie'' like comment and the AFL would not place any sanctions on McGuire, who earned universal praise last Friday night for the way he handled the Goodes affair on behalf of Collingwood.

Eddie makes King Kong-sized gaffe

"He's punishing himself this morning, I've got no doubt,'' Demetriou said at the opening of an Australian Football oval at Burpengary Regional Sports Park, north of Brisbane.

"It's very uncharacteristic for Eddie. He knows he's said the wrong thing because he's apologised.

"It's very un-Eddie. I know Eddie. The one thing you do know about Eddie, and you saw it on Friday night with his actions straight after the Adam Goodes incident, he's the last person who has got a racial bone in his body.

"He just got it wrong this morning. He's apologised. I don't know what was going on?' Early start? I don’t know.

"But I'm sure he's feeling remorseful about it.

"Let's just put that one behind him because it's very un-Eddie like.''

Demetriou conceded the timing of the remark was poor given the Goodes incident.

"It's unfortunate and I'm  glad he apologised quickly but he demonstrated on Friday night what we all believe that there is no place for any discrimination in our game whether it's race or gender or disability or religion,'' he said.

"The more awareness we can raise around these issues, the better we will be as a society.''

Demetrious is in Queensland on a week-long charm offensive and said there was no escaping the controversy.

"By the time I left Brisbane to come here I had about 403 emails so at that rate if I keep driving I might get another 1000.''

Eddie McGuire