- Umpire Leigh Haussen wore an ‘inappropriate’ outfit to a party
- The AFL has ruled him out of the 2025 first round
A month after GWS Giants players were embroiled in a fancy dress scandal, an AFL referee has been suspended for wearing an inappropriate outfit at an end-of-season party.
Leigh Haussen has been handed a one-week ban for the start of the 2025 season after dressing up as Osama Bin Laden for a private function to celebrate the end of the football season.
Unlike the GWS Giants costume scandal, AFL says ‘no skits’ were performed at referee’s party.
“The theme of the meeting was ‘2000s characters’,” the AFL said.
‘[Haussen] changed into costume on the spot and only wore a mask for a short time before taking it off.
“He cooperated fully with the investigation after the AFL was made aware of the post and apologized for wearing the costume which was inappropriate, offensive and in poor taste.”
Haussen will have to attend educational training and miss the opening game of the season.
‘I’m sorry. I made an error in judgment,” he said in a statement.
Leigh Haussen (pictured with his partner) has been given a one-week ban for the start of the 2025 season after dressing up as Osama Bin Laden for a private party
Haussen (pictured dressed up for a last season party) says he’s sorry and never meant to offend
“It was never my intention to offend anyone.”
AFL referee Stephen McBurney said Haussen knows he made a mistake.
“He’s thought about that choice,” McBurney said.
“Leigh is a valued member of the refereeing group with an impeccable record both throughout his refereeing career and since his elevation to the AFL Referees List in 2017.
“We will support Leigh to return to AFL refereeing football after this suspension.”
Haussen made his AFL referee debut in the fifth round of the 2017 season between Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs.