AFL bars suspended Swans players from Brownlow medal ceremony
The Guardian Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Aug 24, 2026, 4:22 AM
Last updated Aug 24, 2026

The AFL announced that five Sydney Swans players, Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice, and James Jordon, will not be invited to this year’s Brownlow medal ceremony. This decision comes as the league opts to delay its inquiry into the players' actions until a police investigation into an alleged sexual assault is concluded. The players were suspended by their club due to breaches of club standards, which included drinking and bringing women to their hotel.
- •AFL suspends five Sydney Swans players for breaches of club standards.
- •Players were involved in an alleged sexual assault investigation.
- •AFL defers its inquiry until law enforcement concludes its probe.
- •AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon addressed the media regarding the situation.
- •The Brownlow medal ceremony will proceed without the suspended players.
- 4:22 AMThe Guardian Sport — Banned Sydney Swans players not welcome at Brownlows as AFL delays inquiry until police probe concludes
"AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon faces media for first time since players stood down, saying ‘the way we treat women says a lot about who we are’ The AFL will not invite five Sydney Swans players suspended by their club to this year’s Brownlow medal ceremony, as the league holds fire on opening its own inquiry into the actions of the quintet until a police investigation into an alleged sexual assault last week at a Melbourne hotel has been completed. The AFL’s chief executive, Andrew Dillon, faced the media on Monday for the first time since Isaac Heeney, Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, Riley Bice and James Jordon were stood down for the rest of the AFL season by the Swans tfor breaching the club’s standards, including drinking and bringing women back to their hotel. Continue reading...
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