Geelong legend Joel Selwood has said it is unsurprising that no AFL player has ever come out as gay, following the controversy over Port Adelaide forward Jeremy Finlayson's homophobic slur. Finlayson was handed a three-match suspension after admitting to directing the slur at an unnamed Essendon player during the Power's 69-point win last Friday.
Appearing on Channel Seven's Talking Footy, Selwood and former Richmond captain Trent Cotchin discussed the incident. Selwood expressed concern that the environment for gay players may have worsened. 'I couldn't speak with any more confidence in saying [coming out would be] OK within the footy club,' he said. 'But we're probably further away now because maybe people see it differently. That individual that may be gay within the AFL landscape of the men's program doesn't feel comfortable in that (since the Finlayson issue).'
The sanction has drawn criticism from the AFL Players' Association, which cited inconsistency after North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson was only fined for a homophobic comment earlier this season. AFLPA boss Paul Marsh called for an urgent review of the sanctioning framework, stating: 'If this type of conduct is a three-week sanction for a player, it should be for everyone involved in the game.'
