Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
AFL chairman Craig Drummond admits the league has “a fair bit of work to do” on respect for women amid the fallout from the Sydney Swans hotel scandal.
The Swans have been in crisis mode since five players – Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice – were suspended for the rest of the season for breaching club standards.
Separately, a police investigation into sexual assault allegations related to what allegedly took place in a room at East Melbourne’s Pullman Hotel last week is ongoing.
No charges have been laid by police and AAP is not suggesting any criminal wrongdoing.
On Thursday, Drummond addressed media outside the MCG in Yarra Park, with the Pullman in the background, where he echoed AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon when he said respect for women is “not negotiable” for the league.
“I’m in shock about what’s happened. It’s completely unacceptable and we won’t tolerate it,” Drummond said.
“We’ve got to be better than that.
“I know Andrew (Dillon) spoke on Monday about this issue and he said respect for women is completely not negotiable, and I couldn’t agree more.
“We’ve got a fair bit of work to do on this.”
Drummond said he is not privy to details about what occurred in the hotel room, other than what has been reported in the media.
The Swans brand has taken a significant hit as a result of the scandal, while past players have admitted the celebrated “Bloods Culture” is broken.
Drummond danced around questions about whether the AFL’s brand has also been damaged.
“I would say there’s a lot to be proud of,” he said.
“I’ve been to a lot of footy this year and I look into the crowd and walk into the crowd, and there’s lots of women, lots of children, and lots of men.
“We have, I think, a wonderful environment for families, including women.
“But I don’t want to walk away from the fact that this was unacceptable and we’ve got work to do.”
The five suspended Swans players have also been barred from attending the Brownlow Medal count on September 21 – a decision Drummond said was not made by the AFL Commission.
“I think it was a recommendation from management,” he said.
