Source :- THE AGE NEWS
Gold Coast ruckman Max Knobel is under investigation for an alleged homophobic slur during a VFL match on Saturday.
“The Gold Coast Suns are aware of an incident involving one of its players in Saturday’s VFL match against the Brisbane Lions,” a Suns spokesperson said.
“The club is currently co-operating fully with the AFL’s Integrity Unit as part of an ongoing investigation.”
This masthead has confirmed that Knobel is the player being investigated.
A source familiar with the incident said the 21-year-old was “extremely remorseful” and had self-reported to Gold Coast officials.
Knobel, a 209-centimetre ruckman, joined the Suns in the 2024 rookie draft. The son of former Brisbane, St Kilda and Richmond player Trent Knobel was previously at Fremantle and is yet to break through for an AFL game.
It’s the ninth time in two-and-a-half seasons the league has investigated a player for homophobic language either in the AFL or VFL.
Most recently, Lions player Koby Evans was suspended for four matches over an incident, also in the VFL.
Jeremy Finlayson (three matches), Jack Graham (four), Riak Andrew (five), Wil Powell (five), Izak Rankine (four), and Lance Collard (six) have also been suspended for using a homophobic slur.
Collard was sanctioned over a second incident in the VFL earlier this season, his initial nine-week suspension reduced to four weeks, with two weeks suspended, on appeal.
The St Kilda player denied calling his opponent a “f—ing f—–” , saying the word he used was “maggot”.
Sydney and the Saints were due to play an annual pride game at the SCG on Sunday, but after the Collard case the Swans have instead chosen to hold the celebration of LBTGQI+ communities against the Western Bulldogs in round 17.
The AFL removed the head of its appeals board, Will Houghton, KC, after his controversial judgement in the Collard case, which took into account that the recipient on the end of the remark was not personally offended by it, and observed that football is “a hard game. It is highly competitive, particularly at its higher levels. It is commonplace that players can employ language from time to time which is racist, sexist or homophobic whilst on the field”.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon rejected Houghton’s reasoning.
“The AFL strongly rejects the statement not only that such language is commonplace, but also any implication that may be a factor in determining the severity of the sanction,” Dillon said.
“We will not accept, excuse or normalise behaviour and language that demeans, discriminates or vilifies people based on who they are.”
The league has since appointed dual Hawthorn premiership player and lawyer Richard Loveridge as interim chair of the appeals board.
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