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

[Bucking Bronco]

Players consent to violence in AFL matches (to a certain degree, serious acts of violence could still be criminally prosecuted). It's a physcial contact sport. Contact (and violence) are integral parts of the sport.

Is there any reason players should have to consent to (or resort to) homophobic or racist slurs?

In what way are the latter integral parts of the game?

Trash talking is an integral part of most sports - particularly contact sports.

Is it a homophobic slur or a 'term with homophobic connotations' if it's directed at a heterosexual?

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

He doesn’t need to be “given more time” he should have been the first to do it straight after the match. That’s called being responsible and taking ownership. There’s no need to give the bloke a week to come to his senses

Ok but Graham was given that time , and apparently that reduced his suspension. Why does the same leeway apply ?

 

[Hobbes]

Trash talking is an integral part of most sports - particularly contact sports.

Is it a homophobic slur or a 'term with homophobic connotations' if it's directed at a heterosexual?

Yes.

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

Lol…. It’s not self reporting if it already been reported. It’s like a criminal asking a judge for a lesser penalty because if you had more time and I was t arrested I was going to turn myself in

Try reading next time

 

[ABAB]

Has to be 4 weeks

Isn't the count is up to 7 weeks and then 8, 9, 10, 11.

 

[Bucking Bronco]

I probably think less of their intelligence for choosing an insult that can get you banned for 4 weeks than I think of them as a rabid homophobe, out to crush D&I.

The act itself is so childish and pathetic that it should be dismissed as such, but that's not the world we live in today.

Rankine is not a smart guy, it's obvious when you hear him speak.

In fact amongst all the players who have been suspended for the "homophobic slur", I doubt whether a single one of them is pursuing tertiary education - maybe Jack Graham.

Problem is probably a lot more to do with lack of education/ any common sense, than anything homophobic

 

[BennyGFunk]

Just bullshit.. no one likes the whole situation but the fact you have Collingwood players snitching after the weekend speaks volumes.. izak was being antagonised all game and people say things in the heat of the moment.. this whole woke culture can gagf as far as I’m concerned..

These incidences should resort to a fine or one wk suspension and nothing more…

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Ok but Graham was given that time , and apparently that reduced his suspension. Why does the same leeway apply ?

The opposition club didn’t report Graham’s incident he took it on his own to self reporting it. There is a difference.

Compare that to Issac waiting for not just the player, the opposition club AND his own club before taking any form of ownership.

It will end with 4-5 weeks and that’s fair. It’s fair for everyone. Large whack for Issac but who cares there he’s done it to himself. Good for the game keeping it remotely consistent and it’s good for the wider football community and other groups that may have been affected. A 4-5 week suspension whereby he can do some education programs is a start

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Just bullshit.. no one likes the whole situation but the fact you have Collingwood players snitching after the weekend speaks volumes.. izak was being antagonised all game and people say things in the heat of the moment.. this whole woke culture can gagf as far as I’m concerned..

These incidences should resort to a fine or one wk suspension and nothing more…

Fines for blokes earning a million do nothing and how is it fair on others that have got their fair whack? Doesn’t matter how it first came to fruition Issac is the one that is in the wrong

 

[BennyGFunk]

^ another one getting sucked in to this whole pc culture

No one likes the slur, he didn’t kill anyone

It’s not even on the same stratosphere as a racial slur, it’s rogue banter gone too far…

I got called names growing up, we all did, you get educated (fine or 1 wk suspension max) & move on

 

[Underarm]

Ok but Graham was given that time , and apparently that reduced his suspension. Why does the same leeway apply ?

In that situation his opponents weren't offended enough. Collingwood obviously are.

Sucks for Isak, but thats why you don't throw slurs out willy nilly.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

^ another one getting sucked in to this whole pc culture

No one likes the slur, he didn’t kill anyone

It’s not even on the same stratosphere as a racial slur, it’s rogue banter gone too far…

I got called names growing up, we all did, you get educated (fine or 1 wk suspension max) & move on

Times have changed it’s not banter and the old “in my days” doesn’t cut it. Fines are no deterrent to blokes on a million. They need to get something taken away to learn and that is games of footy. Missing finals might be exactly what Issac needs

 

[RUNVS]

I think it shows that person is a pretty shit human being. If a player misses finals because of it, well they only have their own bigotry and stupidity to blame, and lets be honest, most people who are homophobic these days would not be doing too well on an IQ test.

 

[Sherrinator]

I reckon they’ll give him one week. They’re top 2 anyway and it will make it look like they followed through with a punishment.

 

[Blue By Blood]

He should get matches. What he did was wrong and extremely stupid given the gravity of finals etc..

But the reported weeks of 4 plus is super excessive (and yes I know there is precedent but that doesn't make it right). They need to change the rules to say 2 weeks for a first time offence. The player misses matches which is a punishment, but he gets the chance to learn and grow from his mistake as we all should in society. None of us are perfect in every facet of life. Doesn't mean we can't become better from our mistakes and it doesn't mean we need to be hung, dried, and quartered either. A second offence and he gets a huge suspension.

There's also recent precedent of a player getting a 1 match ban for a death threat on field and through text. Which is equally as bad an offence if not worse- threatening a life is about as serious as it gets. Concussing a player through a dog act gets maybe 5 weeks max. Is that worse than a heat of the moment slur? I guess we will all have different opinions on that but it's hard to judge right. We are living in blurry times in the AFL.

 

[Wargreymon90]

^ another one getting sucked in to this whole pc culture

No one likes the slur, he didn’t kill anyone

It’s not even on the same stratosphere as a racial slur, it’s rogue banter gone too far…

I got called names growing up, we all did, you get educated (fine or 1 wk suspension max) & move on

How do they reconcile that with the suspensions they’ve already handed out?

I’m fine with them revisiting it in the off season, as the escalating system could get ridiculous considering players are morons who don’t learn. But if you have clear precedents within the season, it really isn’t possible to go back

 

[DangerSloane]

Bloke is super talented but it's like he's on a speedrun to waste it. The staging alone should've been a suspension - I see he was fined but it should've been 10 fold that much after two of the mbarrassing soccer-style reactions to non-existent contactost em.

Coming from a Nick Daicos supporter.
Bloke flops around like a fish out of water.

 

[LeeCarvallo]

If you agree racially insensitive comments or words on the football field aren't acceptable then using homophobic slurs is equally as stupid and insensitive.

Statistically, it is very likely there are gay AFL players currently.

For someone like Izak who has been very vocal in calling out racist comments (which is a good thing) punching down on a different minority group is hypocritical and shows really poor judgement.

Me personally, I wouldn't necessarily dislike the player, but I would certainly think a lot less of them.

 

[Morris Major]

I think it shows that person is a pretty shit human being. If a player misses finals because of it, well they only have their own bigotry and stupidity to blame, and lets be honest, most people who are homophobic these days would not be doing too well on an IQ test.

There's also the matter of the act being a proven 4/5+ week suspension over the last 2 seasons, and he's gone and done the very thing.

At minimum, if we give them the benefit of the doubt that he's not a homophobe, it's an extreme low IQ/EQ thing to do.

 

[RUNVS]

If you agree racially insensitive comments or words on the football field aren't acceptable then using homophobic slurs is equally as stupid and insensitive.

Statistically, it is very likely there are gay AFL players currently.

For someone like Izak who has been very vocal in calling out racist comments (which is a good thing) punching down on a different minority group is hypocritical and shows really poor judgement.

He is pro-equality for himself, just not for others.

Sort of like a white woman fighting for voting rights 110 years ago, but arguing in the same breath that black women should not get those voting rights.

 

[Seedsfan]

Isn't the count is up to 7 weeks and then 8, 9, 10, 11.

Well they can’t go below four as that is what the gave Graham and he self reported it

 

[Rod Stroker]

I reckon they’ll give him one week. They’re top 2 anyway and it will make it look like they followed through with a punishment.

given what others have copped for the same language, there will be outrage if he gets less than 4

 

[DangerSloane]

Well they can’t go below four as that is what the gave Graham and he self reported it

They can if they value finals more highly.

We have seen shocking decisions in the past for exactly that. Trent Cotchin, Barry Hall etc.

Wishful thinking from me maybe, but it has happened.

 

[apollo_creed]

I'm assuming I wouldn't choose an away prelim over a home prelim.. what are you even reading?

Did you even read the quoted post?

I did. Read your post again. You said would you rather a GF or an away prelim. So you’ve assumed the result.

If you hadn’t assumed the result you would have said home prelim vs away prelim.

 

[Humblebob]

The world is changing and for many of us, myself included, we grew up around people who would use this language as an off the cuff part of their vocabulary.

I have no issue with a suspension and believe it’s the right tone to set for the league and society, I never use this word personally but I’m not going to crucify a kid for using it either.

If it was directed at the player I think it was directed at, there was probably some intent behind it. Being from a community that is similarly marginalised and denigrated hopefully he takes this as a chance to gain some perspective.

Life’s about growing and adapting, here’s hoping he takes this lesson on board and improves in the future.