The AFL has this afternoon intervened to prevent NSW Hall of Fame member Wayne Carey from being elevated to legend status.
With the league’s commencement of a nationwide domestic violence campaign, AFL CEO Andrew Dillion on Friday morning personally informed the former North Melbourne and Adelaide player of his decision to block Carey’s status elevation.
in the phone call, Dillon expressed his competition’s concern about the induction due to his prior domestic violence allegations and assault convictions.
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Subsequently, he informed Carey that the league had blocked the NSW Hall of Fame of his induction to legend status.
The AFL held a crisis meeting almost instantly after being told of the body’s plan to elevate Carey’s status on Thursday, with swift action taken by Dillion and his colleagues.
“The AFL acknowledge the decision by a committee of NSW football industry people to recognise Wayne Carey’s contribution on the football field as part of 100 inaugural inductees in the NSW Hall of Fame,” Dillon said in a statement given to the Herald Sun and The Age.
“His contribution on the field is also why he was recognised in the AFL Hall of Fame in 2010.
“We didn’t think it was the right decision. I called Wayne Carey earlier this morning to inform him of this and he agreed that being made a Legend would take away from the event and the important focus on the national response to the issue of gender-based violence against women.
“He also agreed the focus should be on the inaugural inductees and the nine legends of NSW Football that will be announced tonight.”
One of Carey’s numerous off-field indiscretions include the alleged smashing of a wine glass over his then-girlfriend Kate Nielson in Las Vegas.
The incident left Nielson with cuts across her mouth and neck, with Carey then kicking a police officer in the face not long after.
Carey was convicted of assault on the officer, while his former partner chose not to pursue legal action.
In the minutes before Thursday night’s Showdown between Port Adelaide and Adelaide, players and coaches from both sides – as well as umpires linked arms at the centre of the ground as a tribute to all lives that have been lost to gender-fuelled violence.
West Coast chief executive Don Pyke earlier this week penned a heartfelt letter to the league, urging them to take a public stance on the matter, with the proposition of showcasing their position at all nine matches this round.
After reading the letter, Dillon then spoke out on the growing issue in Australian society, and on behalf of the league, firmly noted the competition’s no-tolerance outlook on the matter.
MORE TO COME
Source Agencies
