- Selwood says the furor may have made things worse for gay stars
- Fears the current AFL environment is not safe for gay players
- Finlayson was given a three-match ban for defamation
Geelong great Joel Selwood says it’s no wonder an AFL player has never felt comfortable enough to come out as gay following the controversy over Jeremy Finlayson’s homophobic slur.
Finlayson was handed a three-match ban after admitting to calling an unnamed Essendon player the disgraceful word in the third quarter of the Power’s 69-point win against the Bombers last Friday night.
In addition to missing three matches, Finlayson must complete a Pride In Sport training program which he will have to pay for himself.
Unlike most sporting leagues around the world, the AFL has yet to come out as a gay player, and Selwood is not surprised.
Finlayson (pictured) has been banned for three matches for his disgraceful insult to an Essendon star during the Gather Round last Friday evening
Joel Selwood (pictured) is concerned the AFL has not created an environment where a gay player feels confident about coming out
Appearing on Seven’s Talking Footy on Wednesday night, former Cats ace and ex-Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin was asked about the situation.
‘The conversation went very quickly today. “This is going to mean that an AFL player, if he was gay, will now not come out because he or she is concerned about the environment he might find himself in,” Tim Watson said.
“You just came out of the locker room, both of you, is that how you feel about this?”
Cotchin said he was concerned that in current times a player might not feel safe enough to come out as gay, and Selwood suggested the Finlayson situation might have made things worse for gay players.
“I couldn’t speak more confidently by saying it [coming out would be] Okay within the football club,” Selwood said.
‘But we’re probably further away now, because maybe people see it differently.
“That person who may be homosexual within the AFL men’s program landscape is not comfortable with that (since the Finlayson issue).”
The sanction against Finlayson has angered the AFL Players’ Association, which has pointed out a double standard, with North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson only fined for a homophobic comment earlier this season.
Selwood believes the Finlayson drama may have made the situation even worse for gay players
“We believe that the AFL is consistently inconsistent and that there are double standards in dealing with players compared to others on conduct matters,” AFLPA boss Paul Marsh said.
“This issue highlights the lack of clarity around how the AFL deals with these situations and we want this to be the catalyst for an urgent review of the sanctions framework.
‘If this type of behavior is a three-week sanction for a player, this should apply to everyone involved in the game and this should be made clear to everyone in the industry in advance, rather than the open approach currently is used.’