NO TROLLS Rankine handed a 4 match suspension by the AFL integrity unit for a homophobic slur against opponent

[undefined]

Damian Hardwick is that you?

The reality is, what the reality is.

 

[1990crow]

Supposedly, Rankine wasn't aware the Collingwood player had concern with what he said? It wasn't direct at the player but at his previous contest at the ball.

I’d love to believe this, but don’t.

 

[Hollow Knight]

I completely reject homophobia. It has no place in society and must be eradicated. However, the AFL’s long suspensions for homophobic slurs demonstrate inflexibility and rely on the wrong disciplinary tool. These slurs are often used casually in Aussie culture as reflex insults meaning “soft” or “weak,” not literal attacks (doesn't make it okay).

This heavy handed approach is not in line with punishments for other on or off field offences. Poor respect for sexuality, typically expressed through off the cuff remarks, shouldn’t threaten players’ right to play. Education is paramount, both within clubs and in the public sphere. Financial penalties and comprehensive mandatory education programs would be far more effective than suspensions alone.

Despite efforts since 2014 acknowledging that real change requires education and cultural shifts (not just bans) this approach has now reared its ugly head at a crucial time. A more creative, balanced strategy combining consequences with education and awareness campaigns is urgently needed for long term progress. Precedent suggests Rankine should cop a 5 week ban, but the AFL needs to rethink this moving forward.

The AFL does a lot of education about it. Within the walls of clubs as well as externally (e.g. pride round).

Not pointing the finger at you directly but I have seen quite a few people here say that the AFL should focus more on education. I really, really hope some of those people aren’t the same people who end up complaining about Pride Round and say that the “woke” AFL should stay out of political and social issues.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Fair? Powell used the same word once during the game. Immediately reported himself on the Suns bench and apologised to Lions player after the game. Powell got 5 weeks.

Look 4-5 sits at where it should be, 4 if he’s very very lucky.

 

[Toump Ass]

What? I said it was after the game the Collingwood players were talking about it.

I am trying to understand what you mean by this:
He didn't direct it at the player but at the player's contest describing it as the F word.

 

[Festerz]

These slurs are often used casually in Aussie culture as reflex insults meaning “soft” or “weak,” not literal attacks (doesn't make it okay).

Where exacty do you work?

I'm a boomer who remembers and was a participant in the bad old days where racist and homophobic commentary was tolerated and even promoted in the media during the 70s/80s.

But those days are long gone and no one in 2025 using a homophobic slur in their workplace 'casually' would get away with it. Let alone a professional on $1m a year on the national stage.

And explaining it away as 'Aussie culture' is just a BS excuse from a foundation of ignorance. Especially when it comes to AFL professional footballers who get paid to sit through inclusion awareness presentations every bloody week.

Keep up the education programs . But reckon escalating suspensions that hurt both the professional athlete and their employing club in the worst way possible is the very best way to stop this BS in its tracks.

Heck, we might even get to a time when the Clubs themselves, rather than the AFL, start imposing harsh sanctions on players who abuse others with homophobic and racist slurs. Not because of 'rules' nut because they take community standards seriously. That's when we will really know things have changed.

 

[Hollow Knight]

I'm sure the gay community would love to have Rankine join them on some projects, don't assume other groups are as closed off and angry

If he wants to volunteer, great, but as others have already pointed out, you framed it as a time-based punitive sentence. It is an insulting notion to those groups to be used in that way.

 

[Senor M]

The AFL does a lot of education about it. Within the walls of clubs as well as externally (e.g. pride round).

Not pointing the finger at you directly but I have seen quite a few people here say that the AFL should focus more on education. I really, really hope some of those people aren’t the same people who end up complaining about Pride Round and say that the “woke” AFL should stay out of political and social issues.

I would have thought that considering the Crows best player of the 21st century is an openly proud member of the LGBTIQA+ community that their would be at least some awareness and education amongst the playing group.

 

[demondavey]

Yeah, I heard that too. So I guess his crime would be self-homophobic-vilification directed towards his own actions slurring himself. It wouldn't appease the Gerard Whatley types though as the mere utterance of the word is something he hasn't heard in twenty years and a crime against humanity.
Probably not Maynard either, the likely offended party.

Pies star says AFL must 'stamp out' homophobic slurs amid Rankine probe

Collingwood vice-captain Brayden Maynard says homophobic slurs have "happened too often" as the league investigates an alleged remark made by Izak Rankine against the Magpies.

www.abc.net.au

So who actually dobbed him in? Did an umpire hear it or did a player report it?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Collingwood alerted Adel, who then went to the AFL.

Rankine didn't alert Adel first.

Exactly I wish people will learn the meaning of SELF…it doesn’t mean be the last person to own up!

 

[deck]

He didn't direct it at the player but at the player's contest describing it as the F word.

Thought he didn't go hard enough at the ball so called himself a you know what.

Deserve a few extra weeks for coming up with such a poor excuse.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Exactly I wish people will learn the meaning of SELF…it doesn’t mean be the last person to own up!

Yeah, unless they consider Jack Nicholson’s character in A Few Good Men trapping himself into a confession to be a “self report”.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I would have thought that considering the Crows best player of the 21st century is an openly proud member of the LGBTIQA+ community that their would be at least some awareness and education amongst the playing group.

You forget one thing players for a better word are not the brightest cookies around! Half at least if they weren’t playing footy…

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Yeah, unless they consider Jack Nicholson’s character in A Few Good Men trapping himself into a confession to be a “self report”.

Great movie though haha

But yeah exactly

 

[Raging Blue]

Would the AFL see missing a final equivalent to 2 games. Therefore, reducing a 4 wk suspension to 2 wks and spinning it that way.

 

[kaiserchief13]

What? He already apologies to the Collingwood player as he wasn't aware the Collingwood player was bothered with what he said and he wasn't until a Collingwood official overheard it after the game. He didn't direct it at the player but at the player's contest describing it as the F word.

Now that's some spin. "Your contest there was weak as a f.......". Either way it's same stuff.

 

[57 Milner]

So who actually dobbed him in? Did an umpire hear it or did a player report it?

On 360 tonight, Whately didn't mention individuals players but rather at the club level from Collingwood to Adelaide and then Adelaide to the AFL.

 

[Hasselhough]

The only thing giving this oxygen is the people that want to argue that it either wasn't offensive, that he shouldn't be suspended, that people should be allowed to use the slurs they want etc etc.

The day that this happens again, and everyone just says "yep that's wrong, he should be sanctioned" will be a relief. Why's that so hard?

I've only responded in this thread to people arguing otherwise. If they just accepted it, which they should, talking about whingeing over nothing, then we will be a lot closer to putting an end to this crap.

What's even the argument here? People want to fight to use the slurs they desire? Or is that they don't actually don't want the game available to people different from them?

We shouldn't have to argue about the offensiveness of any of these types of things anymore. If he said the wrong thing, everyone should just accept it. The constant arguments against makes me suspect that people have stronger motives than simply being so concerned about whether people are offended or not.

I don't think anyone is arguing it's not wrong but the punishment is wrong .

You have people getting no suspension for death threats

People getting less weeks for punching someone

The afl having snoop dog as their pre game show when he is a known misogynist, criminal and has engaged in gay slurs online to actual gay people .

They also endorse gambling in sports betting and pokies which destroys people's lives .

It's the moral double standards that people aren't happy with

 

[undefined]

The AFL does a lot of education about it. Within the walls of clubs as well as externally (e.g. pride round).

Not pointing the finger at you directly but I have seen quite a few people here say that the AFL should focus more on education. I really, really hope some of those people aren’t the same people who end up complaining about Pride Round and say that the “woke” AFL should stay out of political and social issues.

Pretty sure there is only a pride game, not a full AFLM Pride Round (correct me if I’m wrong). For me a Pride Round is as important as Sir Doug Nicholls and multicultural rounds. Around 4.5 percent of Australians aged 16 and over - 900,000+ people - identify as LGBTQIA+ with nearly 10 percent of young people aged 16 to 24 identifying as such. Given this significant community and the AFL’s growing global reach this should be no-brainer.

I’m sorry mate but the status quo isn’t making meaningful progress.

The AFL should mandate education courses as a condition of employment like with Covid vaccine in 2022. Not just provide resources delivered through half arsed outsourced computer programs kind of like workplace health safety and compliance modules that employees have to do. Real compulsory education is needed.

We need something impactful - maybe like Arsenal’s No More Red campaign, highlighting knife crime in London. That'd be a step forward.

 

[Hollow Knight]

What exactly is the "players contest".

How loud did he call this "contest" a ****** that Collingwood officials heard it lmao

It’s nonsense. It’s a fictional wishful scenario that the Crows BigFooty board groupthought up on their rumours thread. Now they believe it.

They also tested some other ideas like:

• maybe he was racially vilified first
• he said maggot or fairy instead
• it was a trauma response to seeing Dan Houston on the field who injured him in a prior encounter

 

[Festerz]

A gay staffed charity that does work benefitting their community would be my guess

You just don't get it, do you?

 

[kaiserchief13]

I don't think anyone is arguing it's not wrong but the punishment is wrong .

You have people getting no suspension for death threats

People getting less weeks for punching someone

The afl having snoop dog as their pre game show when he is a known misogynist, criminal and has engaged in gay slurs online to actual gay people .

They also endorse gambling in sports betting and pokies which destroys people's lives .

It's the moral double standards that people aren't happy with

Afl doesn't care about anything but money...and being seen to be PC keeps the money coming in

 

[dangerwood]

I don't think anyone is arguing it's not wrong but the punishment is wrong .

You have people getting no suspension for death threats

People getting less weeks for punching someone

The afl having snoop dog as their pre game show when he is a known misogynist, criminal and has engaged in gay slurs online to actual gay people .

They also endorse gambling in sports betting and pokies which destroys people's lives .

It's the moral double standards that people aren't happy with

I wish you were right.

I haven't once argued what the punishment should actually be. And I agree that the punishments are inconsistent. Death threat? 100% should've been a greater penalty. Not once have I argued otherwise.

Unfortunately people aren't only arguing about the inconsistencies of the AFL. There's literally people arguing that using a slur shouldn't be a problem.

 

[brutus76]

Are we getting a weird Tex Walker type apology on camera?

 

[Hollow Knight]

Pretty sure there is only a pride game, not a full AFLM Pride Round (correct me if I’m wrong).

Sorry, I should have specified it is during the AFLW season.

I definitely agree that more can and should be done. I was just trying to counter the suggestion by some people that there is no education and that the only approach being used is purely punitive.