AFL umpire Leigh Haussen banned for inappropriate costume at end-of-year function

AFL umpire Leigh Haussen has been banned for a match for dressing as a terrorist at an end-of-season function, less than a month after GWS players faced more severe penalties. Here’s why there was a difference.

AFL field umpire Leigh Haussen has been banned from the opening of the 2025 season after dressing up as terrorist Osama bin Laden to an end-of-season function.

Haussen admitted to wearing the inappropriate costume to a private function to celebrate the end of the season in a disastrous error of judgement given bin Laden’s role in the September 11 attacks that killed 2977 people.

Haussen, a veteran of 147 AFL games, will miss only a single AFL game and the match payment that comes with officiating in that contest.

The theme for the event was “Characters from the 2000s” with umpires dressed up in costumes including Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story.

AFL umpire Leigh Haussen has been suspended for an inappropriate costume at the umpires’ end-of-season function. Picture: Michael Klein

But Haussen brought the bin Laden mask to the event and donned the costume as part of the festivities.

It is understood he wore the mask for half an hour, with a photo of Haussen on Snapchat seen by someone at AFL House in the wake of the GWS Wacky Wednesday scandal.

Haussen is understood to be mortified that he has put the umpiring fraternity in the middle of a Mad Monday controversy.

The league made clear on Monday there were no skits involved from the umpires.

It will give rise to accusations of double standards given GWS players Toby McMullin and Cooper Hamilton were suspended for two weeks for simulating the September 11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Centre at their Wacky Wednesday event.

GWS teammate Josh Fahey was handed a four-week suspension after simulating a sexual assault after dressing up as NRL player Jarryd Hayne.

But the league has handed Haussen a lesser punishment given there was no skit involved in his incident, which saw him donning the mask after arriving at the venue.

Josh Fahey was suspended for four weeks by the AFL in October. Picture: Phil Hillyard.

The AFL was clear in its intent to crack down on Fahey given how appalled it was about him being involved in a skit involving a sexual assault.

It does not believe Haussen’s behaviour is on the same level of severity as Fahey’s Wacky Wednesday incident, which saw the league find him guilty of “inappropriate acts on a sex doll”.

The AFL Umpires Association was in discussions with the AFL for some time over the punishment and while he admitted his involvement it was hopeful that Haussen would avoid a suspension.

But the league made clear it believed he needed to be suspended.

Haussen will attend education training, will miss the opening round of the season through suspension, and has apologised for his outfit.

While the incident took place before the GWS incident, it came to light as a result of the publicity that saw those Giants players fined.

While a third party was offended by the GWS skits and reported the incident, Haussen’s behaviour went unchecked until the Giants episode saw it come to light.

The league then went to work investigating the breach and handed down the punishment on Monday afternoon.

“I am sorry, I made an error of judgement,” Haussen said in a statement.

“I never intended to offend anyone.”

Haussen will attend education training, will miss the opening round of the season through suspension, and has apologised for his outfit.

“I am sorry, I made an error of judgement,” he said in a statement.

“I never intended to offend anyone.”

AFL head of umpiring Stephen McBurney confirmed Haussen’s suspension.

“Leigh understands the inappropriate nature of his costume,” he said.

“He has reflected on that choice. Leigh is a valued member of the umpiring group with an unblemished record both throughout his umpiring career and since his elevation to the AFL umpires list in 2017.

“We will support Leigh to make his return to umpiring AFL football following this suspension.”

The AFL Umpires Association said in a statement that Haussen had an “unblemished” record and meant “no harm” but acknowledged the costume “lacked consideration”.

“The AFLUA acknowledges that umpire Leigh Haussen has been sanctioned for wearing an inappropriate costume at a private end of season celebration. Leigh at all times cooperated fully and transparently with the AFL investigation,” it said.

AFL umpire Leigh Haussen has apologised after dressing as a terrorist. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

“The theme of the event was ‘characters from the 2000s,’ and Leigh has acknowledged his error of judgement in wearing an Osama Bin Laden mask when within the venue.

“There were no skits at this event and no complaint was made. Leigh meant no harm and has acknowledged that his choice of costume lacked consideration of the sensitivities of other groups.

“Leigh has an unblemished record and has been, and will remain, a significant contributor to community umpiring. He will also share his experience with his colleagues to highlight the importance of cultural awareness.”

The continued controversy over players behaving badly will intensify pressure on the AFL and clubs to ban Mad Monday-style celebrations and dress-up days given the continued poor choices players make.

In the Queensland hub in 2020 amid Covid restrictions the league wrote to clubs banning the use of dress-up costumes given the sensitivities over the Queensland government allowing the AFL to relocate its competition north.

But until now clubs have only warned players about their responsibilities while often assigned minders to Mad Monday-style events to ensure players do not get out of control.

But clubs will face pressure to ban those events altogether next year given the pair of incidents across the AFL that has led to round 1 bans.

Haussen was promoted to the AFL’s senior umpiring list after 16 years as an umpire in South Australia, umpiring his first SANFL Under-17s game in 2006 before umpiring six SANFL senior Grand Finals between 2010-2016.

He was delisted as a rookie umpire in 2016 but then following Jordan Bannister’s retirement fought his way back onto the AFL’s senior umpiring list.