Five players from the Australian Football League (AFL) club Sydney Swans have been suspended for the remainder of the season. Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon, and Riley Bice were stood down for late-night drinking and inviting women to a hotel after a weekend match in Melbourne.
The club announced the suspensions on Wednesday, stating they were independent of an ongoing investigation by Victoria Police. Detectives are investigating an alleged sexual assault said to have occurred in the early hours of Monday morning at the Pullman Hotel, where the players were staying.
Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham apologised to fans and the community, explaining the sanctions were due to players breaching club standards regarding alcohol consumption and bringing women to the hotel. None of the players have been arrested or charged in the police investigation.
Swans chief executive Matthew Pavlich expressed embarrassment and shame over the players' choices and their impact on the women involved and the club. AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon described reports of the alleged sexual assault as "deeply concerning."