AFL will act on Ali Fahour’s shameful punch, writes Mark Robinson

ALI Fahour was a broken man when he fronted the media but the timing of his king hit could not be worse and the AFL will pass judgment, writes MARK ROBINSON.

AFL diversity manager Ali Fahour apologised for his king hit. Picture: Getty Images

ALI Fahour would be feeling sick.

That gut-churning pain you get when asking himself: What did I do that for?

He said he was deeply ashamed — and he should be.

The AFL’s diversity manager was bordering on tears as he accepted responsibility for punching an opposition player at a weekend football match.

ONE PUNCH: ‘I’M DEEPLY ASHAMED’ — FAHOUR

It was no ordinary clash with an opposing player.

It was a king hit, a coward’s punch, a full on attack on a player who wasn’t looking at Fahour.

Several moments of madness that will probably cost him his football career and possibly his job.

Ali Fahour prepares to front the media after he was captured on video striking an opposition player in a Northern Football League game. Picture: Michael Klein

What does Fahour get at the NFL tribunal tomorrow?

Six weeks? Eight weeks?

Thinking close to 12 weeks.

Then the AFL will act.

Gillon McLachlan is in France at the famous bike race, but that won’t exclude him from passing judgment.

It’s a curious situation McLachlan finds himself in.

He is a champion of trying to stop punches being thrown on the field, a champion of tightening penalties for head contact and now one of his employees spits in the face of the game and its endeavours.

Fahour’s portfolio as head of multicultural and indigenous partnerships and programs is about inclusion, acceptance, tolerance and the promotion of social cohesiveness.

A king hit makes a mockery of what he stands for.

Fahour is considered highly within the AFL, but his timing could not be worse.

Two weeks after Bachar Houli belted Jed Lamb, and Fahour gave character evidence for Houli, and Tomas Bugg’s cheap shot on Callum Mills, Fahour finds himself the aggressor.

His punishment is already being played out.

Ali Fahour and Richmond’s Bachar howl met Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last week. Picture: Michael Klein

He is in the national headlines and even the thought of losing his job would frighten Fahour.

But it’s better than what could’ve been the alternative — a coward’s punch resulting in death or brain trauma.

Fahour is a lucky man on that front — clearly, he has an anger issue.

Football can get heated, we know that, but not many blokes run around the side of a melee to deliver a king hit.

When did he plan that?

When he started running to the trouble? At the last instance? Only Fahour knows the answer to those questions.

He was a broken man when he fronted the media.

But the fact is he has little-to-no support from the wider community and has to take what’s coming on the chin.

That’s what happens when you king hit someone.