The AFL has announced that people found to be responsible of vilification within the sport will receive a lifetime ban from AFL matches.
Nine lifetime bans have been issued so far in the 2023 AFL Premiership season with five more currently being investigated.
Prior to the start of the 2023 Season, three-year bans were in place for individuals who have been found to be guilty of racist behaviour at AFL matches.
It was also confirmed that a full-time dedicated employee, sitting within the AFL Integrity Unit, will be appointed to investigate racism and vilification cases at the elite and community level of the game.
AFL Executive General Manager Inclusion and Social Policy Tanya Hosch said the AFL was committed to addressing racism and the increase in penalty was an appropriate punishment for the behaviour.
"We have been clear, there is absolutely no place for this behaviour in our sport and in society in general and we want people to know that if they behave in this way, they are not welcome at the footy again," said Ms Hosch.
"The work will not stop in this space and having a full-time resource committed to investigating incidents is going to assist greatly in our response at all levels of the game."
Hosch said identifying offenders both at matches and online was difficult but investigative work continued to be a priority.
"It can be very difficult to find these people but on numerous occasions our Integrity officers have identified perpetrators and passed information to the police," she said.
"There is more work to be done, especially in the online space and we will continue to work with Australia's eSafety Commissioner to put in place preventative strategies for online abuse, remove abusive posts and act against perpetrators.
"We know we still have more we can do to combat racism in the game but will continue to lobby the platforms for increased protections and penalties while building on these current actions to help promote change in our industry and society in general," she added.
Any person placed on a lifetime ban has the ability to formally apply for an official review of that ban after a minimum five-year time frame.
"The implementation of an indefinite ban for individuals with the chance to apply for a review after five years is because we believe people can reflect and take the opportunity to change their racist views.
"Our main aim is to prevent these acts ever happening and we believe education and the opportunity to influence their understanding is a key component to that, so if people are willing to be educated, we would be happy to reconsider their return to the footy."
The AFL has also implemented a range of initiatives to prevent and manage vilification incidents at the community football level around Australia.
With a key focus on more education at grassroots and community level, every community coach renewing their accreditation for the 2023 season must complete an online course which highlights the harm caused by vilification and discrimination.
The module features personal accounts from Hawthorn player Chad Wingard, Carlton player Darcy Vescio and ex-Richmond player Bachar Houli about the impact of being vilified, as well as input from community coaches.
So far around 18,000 community coaches across the country have undertaken the course, which also outlines the benefits of making clubs more inclusive and welcoming.
The course is freely available to all football participants, not just coaches, through the AFL's learning platform.
"We've already had great feedback from community coaches about the new education module, with many commenting that it has significantly improved their understanding of vilification and its harmful impacts,'' Hosch said.
The education initiatives are part of a series of measures which increase anti-vilification support and resources to the thousands of community clubs across the country.
The AFL has also improved processes for managing complaints of vilification at the community level.
These changes encourage people to come forward after incidents and aim to ensure more positive outcomes for those who have been offended.
From this season, leagues around Australia have access to an AFL-appointed panel of expert conciliators to help manage and resolve incidents of racist and other abuse in the community football sphere.
A number of successful conciliations have already been held with agreed outcomes including match suspensions, apologies and directions to complete education courses.
The AFL continues to support and implement a range of programs and initiatives aimed at promoting change in the industry, including:
- A formal partnership with Australia's eSafety Commissioner, established in 2022, to put in place preventive strategies for online abuse; to remove abusive posts when they occur; and take action against perpetrators. This partnership involves education sessions for players to raise awareness of mechanisms to stay safe online.
- AFL digital communications staff also provide ongoing support and education for players about their safe use of social media.
- Every AFL club has a dedicated Indigenous Player Development Manager in their football department to support our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players – this initiative was introduced in 2022.
- Nearly half the clubs in the AFL now have an Indigenous Board member and we continue to encourage more appointments.
Bans issued in 2023 Premiership Season
MCG
- 18-year-old man – reported by patrons to police
- 42-year-old man – reported by patrons to staff
- 68-year-old man – reported by patrons to staff
- 72-year-old man – reported by patrons to staff
SCG
- 20- and 25-year-old men – reported to police (same incident)
Adelaide Oval
- 23-year-old man – reported by patrons to security
Marvel Stadium
- 59-year-old man – reported by patron via online portal
UTAS
- 36-year-old man – reported by patrons to police
