今日吃瓜

St Kilda AFL forward Lance Collard has today learned his fate following allegations of using a homophobic slur during a match last month.

In 2024 Collard received the AFL鈥檚 longest suspension for using homophobic slurs during a VFL match.

However this time he has fought the allegations made by Frankston player Darby Hipwell.

Despite this the AFL disciplinary tribunal found Collard guilty on Friday.

Lance Collard: “I never said it this time”

On Thursday Lance Collard presented at an AFL disciplinary tribunal hearing regarding claims that he called players a “f**king f*gg*t” during a march match against Frankston.

Collard faced a potential ten game suspension if found guilty by the tribunal, however he vehemently denied the allegations.

Prior to the four hour tribunal Collard had signed a statutory declaration in his defence claiming that he said聽“come here, maggot.”

“I admitted it last time when I said it, but I never said it this time,” Collard insisted.

“I signed an oath during the week about it, saying that I’m being 100 per cent honest” he insisted.

“Last time I stood up and admitted it and I took it and I was remorseful.”

However both Frankston players Bailey Lambert and Darby Hipwell were insistent they heard correctly, although umpire Sam Morgan says he did not hear the alleged slurs.

“He had his head up against my ear and he said the words to me, ‘Darby, you f***ing f****t’,” Hipwell told the tribunal.

The tribunal ultimately ruled against Collard finding him guilty on Friday afternoon.

A sanction hearing will now be held to determine if Collard will face the potential ten game suspension being proposed.

鈥淪t Kilda Football Club is naturally disappointed with the decision handed down by the AFL disciplinary tribunal this afternoon,鈥� the club said in a statement.

鈥淭he process is ongoing, with further submissions from both parties to be made on any penalty. A date for this next step is yet to be confirmed.鈥�

However they did not rule out appealing the decision.

鈥淭he club is also reviewing the tribunal鈥檚 written findings and will consider its position, including avenues of appeal. We will continue to support Lance throughout this process.

鈥淎s the matter remains ongoing, the club will make no further comment at this time.鈥�

The AFL also on Friday evening stating that” The AFL acknowledges the decision of the independent disciplinary tribunal today to uphold the charge against Lance Collard of the St Kilda Football Club following a finding that he breached AFL Rule 2.3(a) (Conduct Unbecoming) by the use of a homophobic slur directed towards an opponent in a VFL match on March 27.”

“A sanction hearing will now be convened to determine the sanction at a date and time to be determined” they continued.

“The AFL has no tolerance for the use of homophobic language in our game and its expectations have been made extremely clear to all of our players, including by education that all AFL and VFL players receive” they concluded.

Mitch Brown calls out “huge cultural problem”

Following the disciplinary tribunal hearing on Thursday a decision could not be reached, with the tribunal announcing their decision would be handed down the following day.

In response, Mitch Brown, the first openly bisexual AFL player took to social media to vent his frustrations.

He described the clinical process of the tribunals, involving lawyers saying it “takes the human side out of it.”

“I know at times I felt a bit anxious” he said of listening to the process, sympathising with those in the community also following the case.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a little bit hard on the community that this again keeps going” he said in reference to yet another incident of homophobic language being used on the field.

He was also fired up about the St Kilda football club for insinuating that the issue doesn’t perhaps sit in the “more serious category” when it comes to issues on the field claiming that it should be “just under vilification” he said.

鈥淣othing gets more serious than a homophobic slur on the field. In 130 years there’s been no active player speak out as a gay or bisexual player.”

鈥淭here is a huge cultural problem and it is serious. This is serious.鈥�

He also took issue with claims that the Frankston player wasn’t personally offended by the alleged insults, implying that the issue shouldn’t be further investigated.

“That’s just fucked” he said.

He described the position of the St Kilda Football club that鈥淛ust because someone isn鈥檛 offended by a homophobic slur鈥� that means it鈥檚 okay? That means it鈥檚 okay to say no penalties?鈥�

“That’s just wrong, that is So wrong.”

 

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