Star Australian rules footballer Izak Rankine looks set to miss the rest of the season after his alleged use of a homophobic slur on the field has led to a league investigation and national media storm.
With one round of the regular season remaining, the 25-year-old Adelaide Crows forward maymiss any impending finals games for the Crows as they hunt their first AFL premiership since 1998.
The AFL’s Integrity Unit launched an investigation into the alleged on-field incident after top-of-the-table Adelaide’s 59-56 win over Collingwood Magpies on Saturday.
It is alleged Rankine called an opposing Magpies player a “f*****” during the clash. The Age reported Rankine apologised to the player involved in a phone call on Sunday.
On Monday, a club spokesperson for Adelaide said: “We are aware of an alleged matter involving one of our players in Saturday night’s game and we are in discussions with the AFL.”
“His season is finished in 2025,” Eddie McGuire said on Footy Classified.
“The Adelaide Football Club and Izak Rankine will have the opportunity to appeal the sanction and try and get it reduced because they could argue that it is manifestly unjust.”
The incident comes just over a month after West Coast Eagles player Jack Graham was banned for four matches after admitting to using a “highly offensive homophobic slur”, as described by the AFL.
It is the sixth offence involving a slur in the AFL since the beginning of last year, with varying bans being handed down – the most severe being Lance Collard, who copped a six-game suspension in July last year for using homophobic slurs.
In 2019, former Wallabies fullback Israel Folau was sacked by Rugby Australia after an Instagram post saying that “hell awaits” gay people and others he considers sinners.
At the time, Sport Australia boss Kate Palmer commended Rugby Australia’s strong stance against discrimination and urged all other codes to follow suit.
“Discrimination is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated in any sport or recreation environment, at whatever level,” Palmer said.
“Everyone is entitled to their own views but expressing divisive and discriminatory beliefs is harmful to sport and the broader Australian community.”
In 2022, former Warriors winger Marcelo Montoya was handed down a four-game NRL suspension for allegedly yelling, “Get up Kyle, you f*****”, towards North Queensland Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt after a tackle during the Warriors’ 25-24 win.
“Rugby league is a game for everyone, that’s what I love most about our game. I’m proud that we bring people together,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said at the time.
