AFL to meet with all 18 clubs to rid the game of inappropriate touching after multiple incidents
The AFL will meet with all 18 clubs to one and for all rid the game of inappropriate touching among players after a string of incidents involving Richmond and St Kilda. See the statement.
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The AFL will meet with all 18 clubs this week and is “committed to change” in an effort to “ensure club environments are safe workplaces” in the wake of a string of incidents of inappropriate touching among players.
Richmond players Nick Vlastuin and Jayden Short and Saint Dan Butler last week apologised for their part in the incidents, in which teammates appeared to be groped in the aftermath of victories – acts the league condemned as “inappropriate, unacceptable and juvenile”.
League chief executive Gillon McLachlan said that the incidents had shown that the AFL needed to do more to make sure that clubs were “respectful and inclusive workplaces” and that a program with specific focus on players and sexual harassment would be developed.
“We condemn the behaviour and need to learn from what happened and ensure that everyone across the AFL understands that we must have working environments that are free from any form of inappropriate conduct or sexual harassment,” McLachlan said in a statement on Monday night.
“Where we fall below the standards expected of us, we need to acknowledge that and take the appropriate steps to learn and improve.
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“The AFL and our clubs have made a strong commitment to gender equality and respect and responsibility and as part of this ongoing cultural change in our industry we need to ensure inappropriate conduct is not acceptable, whether it is the office or the changeroom.
“This is an ongoing journey and we are committed to change.
“What we saw in recent times with players from a number of clubs touching each other inappropriately is clearly not the standard of high performance in the workplace that we could – or should – accept.”
The league – which has a respect and responsibility policy in place for complaints – said it made the move following talks with the likes of Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins and Our Watch CEO Patty Kinnersly.
Meetings with clubs will begin this week.
“It’s important we work together to ensure our entire industry is really clear about the standards we must set in order to deliver the safest environment possible for everyone working in our game,” McLachlan said.
“We already have policies in place but where there is scope to improve them, we will improve them.”
RADIO STATION UNDER FIRE FOR CRUDE CHOL PARODY
Radio station Triple M has again found itself in hot water for crude content after posting a song about Richmond’s inappropriate touching during post-game celebrations
Two years on from the station’s Barry Hall fiasco, the station penned a song in response to the Mabior Chol situation to the tune of Richmond’s club song titled “We’ve Got Your Balls In Hand” which was posted on social media on Saturday.
The song was loaded with inappropriate puns about the Chol incident and drew the ire of the AFL, which contacted the station to voice its “concern”.
The offensive post has since been deleted.
In a statement, the AFL said the inappropriate behaviour by the players was not something to be celebrated or joked about.
“The AFL contacted station management today to voice our concern at the content that was yesterday uploaded on their digital channels, and ensure they were aware that the AFL’s position on the recent unacceptable and inappropriate behaviour by the players should be rebuked and not be celebrated,” the AFL statement read.
The incident comes a year after Hall was sacked by Triple M for crude comments he made live on-air.
Richmond players Nick Vlastuin and Jayden Short had to apologise after footage of them groping the Richmond ruckman during team songs emerged.
Southern Cross Austereo, which owns and operates Triple M, has been contacted for comment.
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