Five Australian footy players suspended for season amid police investigation

What the report says

Five Sydney Swans players in Australia’s AFL have been suspended for the remainder of the season after the club said they breached team standards by drinking late at night and bringing women back to a Melbourne hotel following a weekend match. The players named are Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice. The club said its disciplinary action is separate from the wider police inquiry.

The suspensions come as Victoria Police investigate an alleged sexual assault said to have happened in the early hours of Monday at the Pullman Hotel, where the team was staying. According to the BBC report, no player has been arrested or charged. Police said officers had spoken with several people at the hotel, but no formal interviews or arrests had taken place.

Sydney Swans chairman Andrew Pridham apologised to fans and the broader community, while chief executive Matthew Pavlich said the club was embarrassed by the players’ decisions and concerned for the welfare of the women involved. The AFL said it supported the club’s sanctions. The case has drawn added attention because Sydney is near the top of the ladder and heading toward the finals, and because Heeney and Warner are among the league’s best-known players.