Australian footballers will not be charged after hotel incident, police say

What the report says

Victoria Police in Australia say four Sydney Swans footballers will not face criminal charges over an incident at a Melbourne hotel earlier this year, ending a police investigation linked to an alleged sexual assault. The players named in the BBC report are Isaac Heeney, James Jordon, Chad Warner and Nick Blakey, who is now with North Melbourne.

Police said the decision followed a thorough investigation and legal advice, with the key reason being insufficient evidence. The matter had centred on an incident at the Pullman Hotel in August, after a game in Melbourne. The players had been suspended for the remainder of the season by their club after the episode, and had previously denied wrongdoing while apologising for breaching club standards by bringing women back to the hotel and drinking.

The BBC said Australian media reported that three women, understood to be adult entertainers, alleged inappropriate touching and may pursue civil action. Police said they could not comment further because of the ongoing civil matter. A fifth player, Riley Bice, had already been cleared by police.

Heeney welcomed the decision and said the past three months had been difficult for his family and close friends. The case matters because it involved prominent AFL players, club discipline and a possible separate civil dispute, even though no criminal charges will be pursued.