AFL football operations boss Mark Evans has explained the league's decision to fine the Kangaroos, but not to sanction Eddie McGuire, James Brayshaw and Danny Frawley for their comments about Caroline Wilson.
Evans told Fox Footy last night that the AFL has clear rules in place regarding comments about umpires. However, there are no such clear rules governing comments made by football commentators or media personalities.
“Gill expressed this pretty well yesterday that he took the counsel of some very senior females both inside and outside the industry...who suggested to Gill he needed to work here to get the appropriate apology,” Evans said on Fox Sports’ AFL Tonight on Tuesday night.
“On the occasion of why this was different, we have a very specific rule around comments about umpires — and that was very easy for us to process that through our rules. It’s not quite as clear as to what the jurisdiction is regarding comments made by media personalities and whether they have involvements with clubs.
“I think we have agreed, as a code, that we would sign up whenever we think that comments or behaviours or actions or tone or language that aren’t right, we’ve signed up to say that we will call it out.”
North Melbourne was $50,000 and coach Brad Scott was fined $30,000 for his comments about the treatment of forward Lindsay Thomas by the umpires by last Friday night.
That’s not accurate. The fines were for bringing the game in to disrepute. The exact same charge could have been brought against Eddie & Co … They chose to not apply it.