AFL CEO Andrew Dillion spoke to the media today at the 2026 finals launch and addressed Sydney's sexual assault allegations publicly for the first time.
Sydney Swans players Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice were suspended for the season following their breach of club standards.
A police investigation into what happened involving the five players during the early hours of last week at Melbourne's Pullman Hotel is still ongoing, with the AFL set to conduct their own inquiry once the investigation has concluded.
Dillon addressed the situation with a strong opening statement that expressed the AFL's stance on the situation.
"For me, the answer is straightforward – it doesn't matter who you are, it doesn't matter what you do, whether you're an AFL footballer – the way we treat women says a lot about who we are as people, as a community and as a game," he said.
"The actions of five players have fallen well short of the standards our game expects and community deserves.
"The actions of a few don't define the actions of the many people that are in this industry."
A police investigation into what happened involving the five players during the early hours of Monday night last week at Melbourne's Pullman Hotel is still ongoing, with the AFL set to conduct their own inquiry once the investigation has concluded.
Dillon stressed the importance of viewing this situation as a reflection of community and not what it will mean for Sydney's finals chances.
"Our focus is not on the impact of last week on a club's finals prospects. It's on whether our actions reflect the values and expectations of our community," he said.
"There are also families, staff, supporters, teammates and members of the wider community who have been affected."
"This includes women who play, work and lead across our AFL and AFLW competitions and throughout our game."
Dillon went on to reveal that the five suspended players were not among the many who received invitations last week for the upcoming Brownlow Medal ceremony.
The Swans players will remain eligible for votes but won't be invited due to their involvement with the ongoing police investigation.
"Those players won't be invited," Dillon said.
"They're under a club suspension that goes to the end of the season."
The alleged drug use that has been mentioned but not confirmed in the scandal has also prompted the AFL to re-assess its league's illicit drugs policy.
"We've just undergone an extensive review of the illicit drugs policy," Dillon said.
"That will be taking effect from this off-season.
"There's accountability for the players, and there will continue to be."
