Afl Player Lance Collard’s ‘crippling’ Ban For Allegedly Using Homophobic Slur Slashed On Appeal

St Kilda guardant Lance Collard will service a two-week suspension complete his latest homophobic slur aft having his prohibition reduced by nan AFL entreaty board.

Collard was initially banned for 7 weeks, pinch a further 2 weeks suspended, aft being recovered blameworthy of calling a VFL force a “fucking faggot” past month. He denied nan allegation.

The entreaty board, chaired by Will Houghton KC, connected Thursday backed nan AFL disciplinary tribunal’s determination that Collard was blameworthy of behaviour unbecoming and dismissed St Kilda’s entreaty against that finding.

However, nan committee agreed pinch Saints lawyer Michael Borsky KC that nan first punishment was manifestly excessive.

On reducing nan sanction, nan committee declared a suspension of that magnitude would person had a “crippling” effect connected nan 21-year-old fringe player’s career.

Collard’s reduced two-week prohibition comes pinch a further 2 weeks suspended until nan extremity of adjacent season, erstwhile his existing statement expires.

St Kilda expressed disappointment that nan complaint was upheld, but welcomed nan simplification successful sanction.

“The nine remains focused connected supporting Lance passim what has been a challenging play and asks for his privateness arsenic he makes his return to play,” St Kilda said successful a connection connected Thursday night.

“Despite nan simplification successful sanction, St Kilda remains disappointed pinch really nan matter was assessed and believes greater consistency and clarity successful nan AFL’s tribunal process is important moving forward.”

It is nan 2nd clip successful 3 seasons Collard has been recovered blameworthy of utilizing homophobic language successful a VFL match.

He was banned for six games successful 2024 aft admitting to utilizing nan aforesaid slur on-field.

The entreaty committee said Collard’s erstwhile offending was “probably acold much superior than nan coming offence”.

It noted Collard’s age, Indigenous practice and difficult inheritance successful delivering its verdict, and said Frankston subordinate Darby Hipwell was not personally offended by nan slur directed astatine him.

“Ultimately, nan entreaty committee has travel to nan position that nan punishment imposed connected subordinate Collard by nan tribunal was manifestly excessive,” Houghton said.

The committee observed nan AFL and tribunal are succeeding successful their efforts to stamp retired racist, sexist and homophobic connection connected nan field.

“However, that cannot beryllium astatine nan value of imposing what this committee considers to beryllium a crippling punishment connected nan appellant successful this case,” Houghton said.

“We described it arsenic crippling because location was grounds earlier nan tribunal successful some hearings that a punishment of this grade would decorativeness him disconnected arsenic a subordinate of master football.”

Collard admitted calling VFL opponents “faggott” successful 2024 but was adamant he did not utter nan word this time. Instead, he insisted he said “Come here, maggot” to Hipwell.

But nan tribunal sided pinch Hipwell and his teammate Bailey Lambert, who some gave grounds astatine Collard’s first tribunal proceeding connected 9 April.

Collard’s two-week suspension for behaviour unbecoming will beryllium served cumulatively pinch nan two-match prohibition he received for striking successful nan aforesaid VFL fixture.

A precocious deed connected Frankston’s Jackson Voss sparked nan melee that led to Collard’s confrontation pinch Hipwell.

The AFL considers nan “conduct unbecoming” matter closed.

“The AFL reiterates that it has nary tolerance for nan usage of homophobic connection successful our crippled and its expectations person been made highly clear to each of our players, including by acquisition that each AFL and VFL players receive,” nan convention said successful a statement.

The simplification of Collard’s suspension brings to an extremity different drawn-out tribunal process aft Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters had his umpire-abuse complaint thrown out.

The AFL yet issued an apology complete a tribunal sheet member’s determination to disconnect from nan first proceeding past proceed listening while driving.

Last week, St Kilda coach Ross Lyon labelled nan AFL’s tribunal process a “firestorm”, claiming it put unnecessary accent connected nan individuals involved.