The AFL says Izak Rankine is paying a “significant price” for using a homophobic slur during the weekend’s game against Collingwood, after the Adelaide star’s season was potentially ended by a four-match ban.
“Compelling medical submissions” were considered in reaching the verdict, which fell short of a possible five games and keeps the door open for Rankine to feature again this season, but the AFL CEO Andrew Dillon would not elaborate on what those medical considerations were.
After days of deliberation – due to the Crows being granted more time to plead their case for a leaner suspension – the league finally handed down its sanction on Thursday afternoon, seriously denting the club’s premiership hopes.
Rankine will miss the final round of the home-and-away season – Saturday’s clash against North Melbourne – and the next three games, but he could still return for the grand final, should the Crows lose a final en route to the flag decider.
Dillon said the language used by Rankine was “offensive, hurtful and highly inappropriate”.
“Importantly this incident was called out by the players and ultimately acknowledged by Izak as wrong. Inclusion and respect our key priorities for the AFL, central to who we are is a game and organisation,” he said.
“Players get taunted, players get provoked. When the line is crossed, there must be accountability and in this instance Izak is paying a significant price. Let me be very clear, this behaviour is not acceptable.”
The AFL’s integrity unit found that Rankine used a “highly offensive homophobic slur” during the fourth quarter of the weekend’s game and while he did not self report, he later rang the Collingwood player to apologise and subsequently cooperated with investigation.
“I regret using the word and I am very sorry for doing so, and that type of language has no place in football or the community,” Rankine said. “It was a mistake and I have apologised to the Collingwood player, and what happened does not reflect my values or those of the club. I’m committed to educating myself and being better.”
The ban mirrors one of two incidences earlier this season, when a four-match suspension was given to West Coast’s Jack Graham, but it was not as severe as the five games handed to Sydney player Riak Andrew. Three further bans ranging from three to six games were dished out to AFL and VFL players last year for similar offences.
Dillon refuted suggestions the shorter ban was down to a finals games being given more weight. “A game is a game and that is what we took into account,” he said. “We look at the specific instances and in this one there were submissions made, including compelling submissions, to take into account when we arrived at the decision.”
The AFL has attempted to underline its zero-tolerance policy on the use of such language over the past 18 months, but dragged its heels on coming to a verdict on Rankine after the club requested more time to put forward a defence in a bid to secure a more lenient ban and keep alive the player’s hopes of playing finals for the first time in his career. A five-game suspension would certainly have ended Rankine’s season.
“Izak has said he knew it was not acceptable,” the AFL’s general counsel Stephen Meade said in a statement. “Adelaide have said they know it is not acceptable. In an AFL environment, this behaviour is not acceptable. Homophobia has no place in football.
“One incident of this nature is too many and the fact there have been multiple this year shows we still have more work to do and we are committed to that.”
Adelaide are guaranteed to finish in the top two after Saturday night’s narrow win over Collingwood, but celebrations were tempered after the integrity unit was called in on Sunday to investigate reports a homophobic slur was used by a Crows player.
The absence of Rankine in September will hurt the Crows, given the goalsneak is a proven big-game performer and has been a match-winner during the team’s rise from a 15-placed finish 12 months ago to genuine premiership contention this year.
The 25-year-old has averaged 20.5 disposals and booted 31 goals as the Crows locked in their return to finals for the first time since 2017 and seek to break a 27-year premiership drought.
