AFL chairman Richard Goyder reveals league investigated COVID-19 breaches by clubs other than Adelaide

While Adelaide has been condemned after 16 of its players breached COVID-19 rules while in isolation, AFL chairman Richard Goyder says the Crows weren’t the only club investigated for violating strict restrictions.

AFL – Adelaide Crows v West Coast Eagles at the Adelaide Oval. Ben Hart. Picture SARAH REED

AFL chairman Richard Goyder has revealed that Adelaide wasn’t the only club investigated by the league for coronavirus isolation breaches.

Adelaide were sanctioned last week after 16 players breached the AFL’s COVID-19 rules while isolating in the Barossa Valley.

Adelaide and Port Adelaide are the only two clubs that will have to leave their home state to complete a ‘pre-season’ for the revised AFL fixture.

The South Australian Government rejected the AFL’s push to provide an exemption for clubs to complete full-contact training which would breach the State’s isolation laws.

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Goyder said the Crows’ breach didn’t help the league’s conversations with the SA Government.

“It probably didn’t help and didn’t help the internal conversations in South Australia,” Goyder told ABC Grandstand.

“It didn’t help, it’s happened, we’ve dealt with it and the protocols from here on are pretty clear.”

Joshua Worrell collects a bag during Adelaide’s isolation in the Barossa Valley.

Adelaide assistant coach Ben Hart has been banned for six weeks.

Goyder also revealed that the league was investigating a number of other instances of potential breaches from clubs at the time.

No side other than Adelaide have been found to be in the wrong as it stands.

Each player involved received a suspended one-game ban, while Crows assistant coach Ben Hart was rubbed out for six weeks.

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Goyder was confident a clear message had been sent to all players and personnel across the AFL.

“Given what it was at the time it was the appropriate penalty and I think the assistant coach took a pretty heavy penalty and all but two were 19-year-old kids,” he said.

“Everyone’s going to have to take it pretty seriously from here on.”

Originally published as AFL chairman Richard Goyder reveals league investigated COVID-19 breaches by clubs other than Adelaide