AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has refrained from commenting on how Jeremy Finlayson’s homophobic insult stacks up against other slurs as the league considers disciplinary action for the Port Adelaide forward.
Finlayson directed a homophobic slur at an Essendon player during the third quarter of the Power’s 69-point win over the Bombers at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
The insult was reportedly picked up by an umpire’s microphone and heard by multiple players, with at least one Essendon player calling it out.
Following the match, the 28-year-old apologized to the recipient of his slur and later issued a formal apology, acknowledging his words as “unacceptable”.
When asked about how Finlayson’s comment compares to a racial slur, Dillon responded, “We take them all very seriously and I don’t believe you can compare and contrast. But all of them are different. We do not tolerate them, which is why we are investigating and there will be consequences.”
The nature of the “consequences” remains uncertain, with options including suspensions and fines.
In a similar incident last month, North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson was fined $20,000 and given a suspended two-match ban for verbally abusing St Kilda defenders Jimmy Webster and Dougal Howard during a pre-season game.
Dillon declined to specify a timeline for Finlayson’s punishment but confirmed it would be determined before the next round of matches, commencing on Thursday.
“We take these allegations very seriously, so we will conduct a thorough investigation,” he stated.
“There will be consequences for Jeremy following that investigation. The timeline is that it will be resolved before the next round of matches.”
“I believe there is no place for that kind of behavior, especially in the league.
“We take this matter very seriously, and I would prefer to conduct a proper investigation and process to reach the appropriate outcome.”
ABC Sport will be providing live coverage of every round of the AFL and NRL seasons in 2024.
When asked if the punishment for Finlayson should be a “captain’s call” made by him, Dillon indicated that the decision lies with football chief Laura Kane and general counsel Stephen Meade.
“We have extensive rules and regulations in place to handle these situations, and ultimately it is a decision for our head of football and general counsel, and they will make it once they have all the necessary information,” he explained.
Dillon made these comments at a post-Gather Round press conference, during which the AFL and the SA government announced that the Barossa Valley would host a game in 2025.
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