AFL star Lance Collard ‘investigated over alleged anti-gay slurs in match’
Lance Collard has been accused of launching anti-gay slurs at opponents. (Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Australian rules footballer Lance Collard is reportedly being investigated over allegations he used anti-gay slurs during a game.
The Australian Football League (AFL) is believed to be investigating 19-year-old St Kilda forward Collard for allegedly directing anti-gay abuse towards Williamstown opponents during a second-tier Victorian Football League (VFL) game on Saturday (13 July).
Collard has played three senior games for the club.
A VFL spokesperson said: “The league is aware of a matter from Saturday’s match between Williamstown and Sandringham and the AFL integrity unit are now investigating”.
ESPN reports that the AFL wouldn’t confirm Collard was the player being investigated, and that while St Kilda confirmed they were aware of the incident, they refused to make any further comment.
The AFL has faced a backlash following a sting of recent homophobic incidents, with LGBTQ+ advocates, including gay Australian rugby league legend Ian Roberts, calling on the league to introduce education programmes for players and officials.
The alleged incident involving Collard follows AFL player Jeremy Finlayson being hit with a three-match ban in April, after using a homophobic slur which he admitted was “hurtful and totally unacceptable”.
In May, Gold Coast Suns defender Wil Powell was suspended for five matches after directing a homophobic slur at a fellow player, which he described as a “terrible mistake”.
And in March, North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson was fined Aus $20,000 (£10,500/$13,500) and given a suspended two-match ban after allegedly directing the homophobic slur, “c***sucker”, at two St Kilda defenders. He was also ordered to attend an approved Pride in Sport training programme.
“My language was not used with any intent to vilify or marginalise, however through this incident I have begun to understand the impact of the use of casual language. I am fully committed to educating myself in this regard,” Clarkson said.
In response to Finlayson’s incident, AFL general counsel Stephen Meade insisted that “homophobia has no place in our game, nor in society”.
Meade added that the AFL “want all people in LGBTQI+ communities to feel safe playing or attending our games,” adding: “We will continue to work together to improve our game as a safe and inclusive environment for all”.
