AFL suspends five Sydney Swans players amid police investigation
Australian Football League club Sydney Swans has stood down five players for the rest of the season following a late-night hotel incident in Melbourne now under police investigation for alleged sexual assault. None of the players have been arrested or charged.
The Sydney Swans of the Australian Football League (AFL) have suspended five players for the remainder of the season following an incident that occurred after a weekend match in Melbourne.
Detectives began investigating an alleged sexual assault said to have taken place in the early hours of Monday morning at the Pullman Hotel, where the team was staying following the game. The suspended players are Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice. None of them has been arrested or charged in connection with the investigation.
Club response
Swans chairman Andrew Pridham apologised on Wednesday to fans, players and the wider community. He said the sanctions were imposed because the players breached club standards by drinking alcohol later than permitted and bringing women back to the hotel.
In a statement, the club said it respects the ongoing Victoria Police investigation and that its own sanctions were made independently of it. The AFL confirmed its support for the club's decision.
Swans chief executive Matthew Pavlich told reporters the club was deeply embarrassed and ashamed by the players' poor choices and their impact on both the women involved and the club itself. He declined to confirm whether any players had been drug tested, saying such testing would form part of the police inquiry.
A Victoria Police spokesperson said officers had spoken with several people who were at the hotel, but no one had been formally interviewed or arrested. AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon described the reports of the alleged assault as "deeply concerning."
Sydney has had a strong season, currently sitting second on the ladder, which secures the club a place in the finals series beginning in two weeks. The Swans are due to play North Melbourne on Sunday in their final match before the finals. Unlike some other Australian sports, the AFL does not enforce an automatic stand-down policy for players facing serious charges such as sexual assault, instead handling each case individually.
