1 week Ago By Andrew Wu
Gold Coast’s Wil Powell has been given a five-match ban for using “a highly offensive homophobic slur against a Brisbane opponent”. The AFL announced the ban on Thursday, just weeks after Port Adelaide’s Jeremy Finlayson served a three-match suspension for using a homophobic slur against an Essendon opponent. Powell will not be eligible to play for Gold Coast during rounds nine to 13, including playing in the VFL.
Banned: Wil Powell. Credit: AFL Photos “It is extremely disappointing to be dealing with a similar incident in only a matter of weeks,” AFL general counsel Stephen Meade said. “The AFL acknowledges Powell’s remorse and cooperation, and while it has considered the circumstances in which the comment was made, there are no excuses for this conduct in our game.
“We foreshadowed both publicly and privately that after what transpired at Gather Round if a similar incident was to happen there would be further consequence. “There could be no clearer message – homophobia has no place in our game, nor in society. We want all people in the community to feel welcomed in our game and comments such as Powell’s only takes away from this.
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