The Sydney Swans have banned five Australian rules footballers for the remainder of the AFL season due to a police investigation into an incident at a Melbourne hotel, reports infohub.kz.
In a statement on Wednesday, the club said Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, Isaac Heeney, James Jordon and Chad Warner will not be considered for selection for the rest of the 2026 AFL season, ruling them out of this weekend's regular-season game and the playoffs series.
The Swans said the club-imposed sanctions were independent of an investigation by Victoria state police. No charges have been laid, and no player has been identified as being involved in an alleged sexual assault. Police were called to a hotel in East Melbourne early Monday after a woman made a complaint to staff.
"We respect there is an ongoing investigation by Victoria Police and the actions we have taken today are independent of this," the Swans said in a statement, adding that the Australian Football League supports the club's sanctions.
Swans chief executive Matthew Pavlich told a news conference on Wednesday that the sanctions were imposed for a series of postgame code of conduct breaches. The players were staying at the hotel after a game on Sunday because a commercial flight wouldn't have got the squad back to Sydney in time before an airport curfew.
"It was staying out late, it was drinking, it was continuing their night, it was bringing women back to the hotel," Pavlich said. Such behavior "was a long way short of what we expect of our players." He declined to comment on any matters relating to the police investigation.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon earlier said the allegations were "deeply concerning." "While the matter remains under police investigation, it raises broader issues for our game and our responsibilities as a sport," Dillon said. "The woman who made the report to police is entitled to privacy and care, and that should be respected."
The competitive bans followed a club board meeting on Tuesday night and interviews with the players involved. The Swans said they condemn all forms of abuse and disrespectful behavior toward women, and that all women deserve to be respected and feel safe.
Swans chairman Andrew Pridham apologized for the players' actions and said there was deep disappointment within the club. "To effectively torpedo our season by making a decision such as this tells you how seriously we've taken it," he said.