The AFL sensationally BLOCKS Wayne Carey from receiving hall of fame honour after holding crisis meeting over his controversial past

The AFL has stunned the footy world by blocking controversial great Wayne Carey from receiving an honor at a NSW Hall of Fame ceremony on Friday evening.

In a last-minute phone call, league boss Andrew Dillon called the ex-North Melbourne premiership winner on Friday, just hours before he was due to be elevated to Legend status at the Sydney Cricket Ground function.

Carey was photographed earlier in the day arriving in the city with his partner Jessica Paulke.

The 52-year-old was told the league believes it is inappropriate for him to receive the honor because the AFL takes a very public stance on violence against women, observing a minute’s silence during ceremonies before the eighth competitions are held.

AFL boss Andrew Dillon personally called Carey (pictured) to deliver the news

Carey is accused of shocking behavior towards women during and after his playing career.

However, that didn’t stop him from being inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2010.

“The AFL recognizes the decision of a committee of NSW football industry practitioners to recognize Wayne Carey’s contribution on the football field as part of the 100 inaugural inductees into the NSW Hall of Fame,” Dillon said in a statement.

“His contributions on the field are also the reason he was recognized in the AFL Hall of Fame in 2010. Yesterday afternoon the AFL Executive was informed of the NSW Hall of Fame Committee’s decision to elevate Carey to Legend status.

‘We didn’t think this was the right decision. “I called Wayne Carey earlier this morning to inform him of this and he agreed that being made Legend would take away from the event and the important focus on the national response to the issue of gender-based violence against women.”

Dillon said Carey agreed with the move once the motivation behind it was explained to him.

The move to block Carey (pictured during his time with North Melbourne in 2000) came about amid allegations about his shocking behavior towards women.

The timing of the Hall of Fame award was terrible for the AFL, which prompts players to make public gestures at every round of 8 match as the league takes a stand on violence against women (photo: Crows and Power players during a minute’s silence on Thursday night)

In 1996, Carey admitted to indecent assault on a woman, which was settled out of court after he allegedly grabbed her breast on a Melbourne street.

Despite this admission, Carey would captain North Melbourne to victory over Sydney in the AFL grand final that same year, playing 271 career games.

In 2002, Carey infamously had an affair with the wife of his then best friend and North Melbourne vice-captain Anthony Stevens.

In 2007, the former Adelaide and North Melbourne star was arrested in the United States for allegedly breaking a wine glass in former fiancée Kate Neilson’s face.

Neilson declined to press charges but later said she was “bleeding profusely from the mouth.”

Carey also pleaded guilty to two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer when he fought police after the incident with Neilson.

In 2008, police were forced to use capsicum spray to subdue Carey after he attacked officers in Port Melbourne.

In 2007, Carey was accused of glassing his then partner Kate Neilson (pictured together) in a restaurant in America. She refused to press charges

Like the AFL Hall of Fame, the New South Wales equivalent can block players on the grounds of ‘integrity, sportsmanship and character’.

Earlier this week, Dillon said: ‘When it comes to violence against women, the only acceptable number is zero.’

But he also trumpeted for the NSW Hall of Fame – and Carey’s induction into it.

“Australian football in NSW has a deeper history than many realise,” he said.

“Congratulations to the Hall of Fame inductees, each has played a significant role in improving football in NSW.

Dillon’s decision to block the honor should be closely watched after Carey’s alleged past scandals failed to prevent him from being elevated to the AFL Hall of Fame in 2010.

“I look forward to learning more about these many greats and hearing their stories in the coming months and years, as footy culture continues to permeate across NSW.”

The move to block Carey’s honor comes after footy fans rejected the league’s position on violence against women at this weekend’s matches.

Players, coaches and referees gather in the center of the field to form a circle and pay a silent tribute to the women who lost their lives, before an MC reads a statement to the crowd.

However, many footy fans have rejected the move, insisting the AFL is hypocritical for appearing to welcome a player like Tarryn Thomas, who has pleaded guilty to threatening to distribute intimate videos of a former partner and has faced with accusations of shameful practices. behavior with women.

“Nothing more than hypocritical grandstanding,” one fan wrote on X.