Bachar Houli receives two-game ban for striking Carlton’s Jed Lamb

GOLD Logie winner Waleed Aly has spoken out about the character reference he wrote for suspended Richmond defender Bachar Houli.

Bachar Houli arrives at the AFL tribunal. Picture: Michael Klein

GOLD Logie-winner Waleed Aly says Richmond defender Bachar Houli had “zero intention to hurt” Carlton forward Jed Lamb.

Houli asked Aly if he could supply a character reference ahead of last night’s AFL Tribunal hearing, having known the television star for many years.

“I saw the action as something that went wrong,” Aly said.

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“I don’t think he was intending to punch anyone in the head and knocking them out, because I know ‘Bash’ personally and I’ve spoken to him as well, I know he was devastated about that thought.”

Houli was charged with intentionally striking Lamb with high impact and high contact.

He made an impassioned public and private apology to Lamb for the incident, early in Sunday’s game at the MCG.

“I think that shows up in his actions as well, the fact he didn’t celebrate after the game, he just went to the Blues directly and sought Jed Lamb out to see how he was,” Aly said on SEN radio.

“It was the kind of thing that ‘Bash’ felt sick about, the fact that it happened and the effect that it had on Jed Lamb obviously, I have very little doubt that he would have had zero intention to hurt him in any way he was just trying to play the game.”

A character reference from the Prime Minister wasn’t enough to get Richmond defender Bachar Houli’s striking charge altered at the AFL tribunal.

But Malcolm Turnbull’s remarks from Monday’s visit to Punt Rd did help reduce his sanction to two weeks.

Despite efforts to have the charge downgraded from intentional to careless, Richmond’s counsel was unsuccessful.

Houli had swung his arm back and struck Lamb in the head.

The young Blue concussed, was taken from the field by trainers and took no further part in Sunday’s game at the MCG.

Houli, who pleaded guilty to the impact and contact elements of the charge, was handed a two-match ban with the tribunal taking his character into account.

The AFL’s counsel had wanted a four-week ban.

The tribunal panel said it was “rare” that it came across someone of such character, a “unique” trait of Houli’s which Richmond’s counsel pushed throughout the hearing to have taken into consideration.

Houli is an AFL multicultural ambassador and is significantly involved in community programs, including the Bachar Houli Academy, a high performance football talent program for emerging teenage players who are from an Islamic background.

The tribunal has handed Houli a TWO-WEEK penalty. Says it is rare they come across someone of such character. @superfooty

— Lauren Wood (@LaurenA_Wood) June 27, 2017

The Tigers’ counsel tendered remarks from Malcolm Turnbull — made during an appearance at with Houli at Punt Road on Monday — and lawyer and Gold Logie-winning TV personality Waleed Aly as part of its attempt to have Houli’s character and standing taken into account when the tribunal delivered its sanction.

“It’s very hard to think of a better example of the strength and resilience of our great multicultural society than the work that Bachar Houli does,” Turnbull said as part of the submission.

Aly, a Richmond supporter and prominent member of the Islamic community, wrote of Houli’s “humility and gentleness”.

He said Houli is “the first devout Muslim to play AFL … and bears the burden of a community that is desperately short of heroes and role models.”

“He delivers some of the most powerful and constructive messages that any athlete in recent times has been seen to offer young minds,” the Richmond counsel relayed of Aly’s statement.

“He does this in the face of racial abuse, which Aly has seen time and time again.”

Houli declined to speak to media when leaving the hearing — which took almost two hours.

Malcolm Turnbull with Bachar Houli this week at Punt Rd Oval. Picture: Getty Images

When called to the stand to give his take on the incident, the defender said he was “absolutely shocked” to be in the situation.

“I’m really shocked. Absolutely shocked,” he told the tribunal.

“It’s something I’ve never, ever done in my life and I’ll never intend to do that in my life. It’s part of my practice in my religion — I’m a peaceful person. And I’ll continue to conduct myself in that manner.”

Houli said intentional violence should not occur on or off the field.

“It shouldn’t exist. It absolutely shouldn’t exist. You won’t get anywhere on the field … or off the field if you hold yourself to that kind of character,” he said.

The 162-game player maintained throughout that the suggestion he had intentionally struck Lamb was “false ... absolutely false”.

“I’ve never hit anyone in my life. Never at all,” Houli said.

“I was trying to knock his arm away so I could get a run to the ball … something that happens nearly every week as a running halfback.”

Houli said he prided himself on his run and strength.

Bachar Houli was handed a two-match ban at the AFL tribunal. Picture: Michael Klein

He sought out Blues Bryce Gibbs and Marc Murphy immediately after the game before obtaining Lamb’s phone number from a Carlton assistant coach.

Immediately after the incident, Houli said he “felt really bad” and made contact with Lamb, who had scans on Monday but did not require further treatment.

The first time he realised he made high contact was “when I saw him on the floor”.

Houli said when he made the movement with his arm, he was looking at the play and “felt really bad” when he realised the outcome.

“The game is played so quick — to run full pelt and swing your arm back is not natural to do without turning your body. But I did not turn directly to face him, no,” he said.

Lamb was not called to give evidence.

Reporting umpire Matt Stevic told the hearing he was 35 metres away from the incident with a clear and unobstructed view and maintained that he believed Houli’s action to be careless rather than intentional.

Houli will now miss Richmond’s upcoming clashes with Port Adelaide and St Kilda.