AFL 2023: Umpire at centre of Brownlow betting probe told he can’t officiate APS matches

The umpire at the centre of a Brownlow betting probe was set to officiate in the APS private school competition this weekend. Here’s what happened next plus the investigation latest.

Former AFL umpire Michael Pell.

Former AFL field umpire Michael Pell has had an invitation to officiate in the APS private school competition withdrawn as he awaits a decision from Victoria Police about suspicious betting activity.

Six months on from his arrest on November 4 as one of four people spoken to by Victoria Police’s Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit, Pell is yet to be charged.

Pell resigned from the AFL’s umpiring team last year amid the fallout of that arrest but is believed to have told investigators he did not pass on information that led to bets on the 2022 Brownlow.

Pell, a first-year umpire in 2022, was set to officiate in the APS competition this weekend after completing an induction course to continue umpiring at community level as he awaits a decision by Victoria Police.

It is understood he recently approached the competition and was told they would welcome his involvement in the school football contests.

But it is understood he was contacted on Wednesday after his online induction and told it would not be appropriate given his case is yet to be resolved.

An APS spokesperson told the Herald Sun on Thursday Pell would not be umpiring for the organisation, but refused to explain the circumstances.

Michael Pell retired from the AFL umpiring team. Picture: AFL Photos

The AFL accepted Pell’s resignation last year but made no formal finding against him as investigators attempt to find the origin of bets on games where he was part of the umpiring panel.

A series of bets did land on games where Pell was officiating, with betting agencies tipping off the league’s integrity department after the Brownlow Medal.

It is not known how many losing bets were made as police continue to interview people connected to Pell as part of the investigation.

But despite phone and communications devices being seized, no evidence has been unveiled that he passed on information in text messages or group chats.

The AFL counselled its umpires on their conduct around Brownlow Medal voting over summer after the Pell controversy and even coached them on the proper language to use if friends asked about the details of games in which they had officiated.

Collingwood’s Jayden Stephenson was banned for 10 weeks for betting on football in 2019, including one game in which he was a participant.

But Pell’s charge would be of a more significant magnitude if proved given the series of bets across 10 or more games and his position as an AFL umpire.

Originally published as AFL 2023: Umpire at centre of Brownlow betting probe told he can’t officiate APS matches