The host of an awards night celebrating a South Australian country footy league is under fire for making a joke about the Sydney Swans sexual assault investigation.
Whyalla Football League historian Jock Sleep used the ongoing AFL saga surrounding four Swans players in commentary at the event on Monday.
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He was discussing the upcoming grand final between Roopena and South Whyalla when he suggested a “scandal” might help the underdog “Souths” like it helped Sydney upset Brisbane in the AFL qualifying final last Saturday.
“After the big Swans scandal broke I thought, Sydney are gone. They lose five players, they thrashed Brisbane on the weekend in an unbelievable turnaround,” Mr Sleep said.
“So my advice to the Souths coach … maybe we can manufacture a good old-fashioned scandal just to get that team going. It worked for the Sydney Swans. I didn’t think that would get much of a laugh. I’m just talking a scandal. Not a real big one,” Mr Sleep said.
The response from the room was mixed, with several people laughing.
Sydney’s season was derailed last month after a post-Round 23 victory celebration turned into a full-blown Victoria Police investigation and a subsequent standing down of five players — Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon and Chad Warner.
Three women from an adult entertainment service were brought back to the players’ rooms at The Pullman in East Melbourne where it is alleged by them that a sexual assault took place.
Bice, who was one of five players stood down for breaching behavioural standards, has been cleared of any criminal conduct and is now being treated as a potential witness.
No charges have been laid against the other four players and detectives are continuing their investigation.
Mr Sleep’s comments have this week been picked up and shared widely online, including by anti-violence campaigner Sherele Moody.
News.com.au has seen screenshots of formal complaints sent to the Whyalla Football League, including one that reads: “I noticed that Jock Sleep made a joke about the Sydney Swans sexual assault matter at a recent awards night.
“I’d like to understand what Whyalla Footy finds funny about sexual assault. I’m not being facetious, please explain the joke to me.
“Your club talks about inclusivity, but this awards night demonstrates anything BUT inclusivity. This makes the hurt and pain of women the punchline.”
In a statement sent to news.com.au after being approached for comment on Tuesday evening, a spokesperson for the league said Mr Sleep is a “a well-known local identity and probably no one knows more about the history of Whyalla Football than him”.
“However, his comments and joke were clearly insensitive and not indicative of current attitudes,” they said.
“In his defence, it was merely an attempt to show how certain events can galvanise a team’s resolve with the intent of improving their performance.
“Nonetheless, references of this nature are unacceptable and inconsistent with the inclusive and respectful environment we expect across our League.
“The WFL has spoken with him, and he understands the impact of his remarks and has expressed regret for any harm caused.”
The league was in the news last week for the wrong reasons when a player was suspended for allegedly making racist and homophobic slurs.
The Adelaide Advertiser reports that a Roopena player was suspended for the remainder of finals after pleading guilty to making slurs towards a Weeroona Bay play and coach in Round 15.
A SANFL spokesman urged all leagues across the state to act swiftly to stamp out similar behaviour following the incident.
“There is no room for vilification of any kind in our game,” they said.
“As we move into the finals period, we implore all leagues and umpires to act swiftly and firmly to stamp out bad behaviour.
“The emotion and intensity of finals football is no excuse for poor conduct on or off the field.”
Meanwhile, the five Sydney Swans players stood down for their alleged roles in the Pullman Hotel scandal will be forced to pay their own legal costs, it was reported on Tuesday.
According to The Age, multiple AFL sources had confirmed league salary cap rules prevented the Swans, or anyone closely associated with the club, from covering the players’ legal costs or any possible settlements.
The report added that the AFL Players’ Association, which has been giving support to the players, “cannot financially contribute” to any legal costs.
The five players stood down by the club also now find themselves in a position where getting a move to another club is becoming increasingly tricky.
Police last week said they anticipated there would be no further updates on the case for around two months, while the Swans said police had “indicated the process may take some time to run its course”.
The AFL trade period will take place from Monday, October 5 to Wednesday, October 14.
And with the outcome of Victoria Police’s investigation likely not finished by mid-October, it would mean that any rival clubs willing to entertain a trade for any of the suspended Sydney players would almost certainly undertake the process without knowing the state of the investigation.
— with Ben Talintyre
Read related topics:Sydney