Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Sydney coach Dean Cox is one of four Swans officials to have given statements to Victoria Police as the investigation into the alleged sexual assault continues.
The Swans have suspended Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice for the rest of the season for breaching club standards.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Suspended Swans banned from Brownlow amid assault probe
The penalties were endorsed by the AFL before being handed out last week. They were also independent of the police investigation that is ongoing.
The players involved in the alleged incident have yet to be formally interviewed by police.
7NEWS does not suggest that any of the players were involved in any untoward behaviour, but that there are allegations of sexual misconduct.
Channel 7’s Caroline Wilson revealed Cox, head of football Leon Cameron, welfare boss Brett Kirk and media manager Tom Chadwick all spoke to police in recent days.
None of the four were involved in the alleged incident.
“We can tell you that Dean Cox is one of four Sydney Swans officials who have now given statements to the police as a result of what went on at the Pullman Hotel last week,” Wilson said on 7NEWS.
“Leon Cameron – the head of football, Tom Chadwick – the media, the corporate communications boss, and Brett Kirk – the welfare boss, are the other three.
“Police flew to Sydney late last week and all four gave their version of events as to what took place after the event.
“We repeat that none of them were involved in the incident. None of them were in the room at the time, but were later on down in the foyer, early in the morning to head back to Sydney, and three of the four were part of the contingent that drove the five players back to Sydney.
“The Swans haven’t ruled out other officials being interviewed. The players still have not.”
Meanwhile, AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has spoken publicly about the allegations for the first time, denying the league has a culture problem while saying respect for women is not negotiable.
The AFL chief executive started his speech at Monday’s launch of the finals series in Melbourne with a strongly-worded statement.
“I have been asked a lot in recent days, what message football should be sending young people and what we should be saying to our kids,” Dillon said of the league’s biggest crisis under his watch.
“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.
“Quite simply, respect for women is not negotiable.”
Dillon added everyone involved in the game had an extraordinary platform and a responsibility to set the right example.
He explained on Monday the five suspended Sydney players will not be invited to the Brownlow Medal function next month, but remain eligible for the game’s most coveted individual award.
A police investigation into sexual assault allegations, related to what allegedly took place in a room at East Melbourne’s Pullman Hotel in the early hours of Monday morning last week, is ongoing.
“The actions of five players have fallen well short of the standards our game expects and community deserves,” Dillon said of the club-imposed bans.
“While there are players involved, we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture. More importantly, there are women who have made a report to police and they should be shown care and respect.
“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 again reiterated that the conversation should not be about what the bans mean for Sydney’s finals chances. The Swans finished the season second, beating North Melbourne at the SCG on Sunday in an emotion-charged match.
“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,” Dillon said.
“The actions taken last week by the Swans and the AFL demonstrate how seriously this matter has been treated.
“Upholding these standards matter, because football holds a unique place in Australian life.
“It brings communities and it has the power to influence how people think, act and treat one another, and to bring out the very best in each other.”
Facing media later on Monday, Dillon reiterated the AFL will conduct its own enquiries once the police investigation is complete.
He refused to comment on whether the AFL investigation will involve drug tests and would not speculate on possible further sanctions for players.
“We don’t know where that (police investigation) will go,” Dillon said.
“When that’s completed, that’s when the AFL will make its enquiries.
“What is clear is the Swans have taken action with the support of the AFL based on the information that is at hand now, and there’s been accountability for those players that were involved last week.”
Dillon denied the AFL has a culture problem.
“The actions of a few don’t take away from the thousands of people involved in football at all different levels who do great things all the time,” he said.
“But what we do know is we can do things better and we’ll continue to do that, and we’ll continue to learn.”
There are reports a recording from the hotel room exists, but Dillon said he was not aware of the tape or its contents.
“If there is a tape that’s relevant to the police investigation it should be forwarded on to the police,” Dillon said.
— With AAP
