North Melbourne AFL coach Alistair Clarkson has been fined $20,000 by the sport’s governing body for delivering a homophobic slur during a tirade towards a player in an opposing team.
Clarkson used a gay slur in a heated moment against St Kilda Players during a pre-season game last Sunday.
On top of the fine the North Melbourne leader will also have to attend Pride in Sport training and was given a suspended two match ban. The two match ban will only come into effect if Clarkson breaks the same rule within the current season.
On Friday after the fine was handed down Clarkson said he would need to change the way he reacts during stressful moments.
“I think I’m going to need to reinvent myself as a coach,” he said.
“That tribalism and passion, which strangely enough is what our game’s built on, that’s been a key part of my coaching for a long, long period of time. Usually, I get embroiled in these situations when there’s a significant amount of emotion or I’m trying to protect either a club or a player or myself or my family.”
Earlier in the week the coach issued a public apology for his comments. In a statement Clarkson said his actions and the words he used were “inappropriate”.
“I was deeply disturbed seeing our captain Jy Simpkin forced from the field as a result of a heavy collision just before quarter time,” Clarkson said.
“Jy has had a great pre-season and has now had three concussions in 12 months and I was so disappointed to see him leave the field in that way.
“At the quarter-time break, I voiced my displeasure to St Kilda players Jimmy Webster and Dougal Howard as they made their way to the quarter time huddle.
“This was an exchange that was emotional in defence of our captain, but unnecessary and the language I used was inappropriate.
Clarkson said he had reached out to the coach of the opposing team and the players involved to apologise.
“I have reached out to Ross Lyon and both the St Kilda players to apologise.”
AFL say the behaviour from Alastair Clarkson was not acceptable
AFL General Counsel Stephen Meade said that Clarkson’s behaviour fell far below the level expected of those within the sport and that the inciting incident did not excuse the use of terms such as this.
“While we understand there are emotions attached to the heat of the contest, engaging with an opposition player during the quarter-time break and then using language that is both unacceptable and highly inappropriate is something the AFL does not want in the game.”
Meade said the coach’s behaviour fell below the standard expected by anyone involved in AFL, and not that Clarkson has a lot of experience in the AFL.
North Melbourne’s CEO Jennifer Watt said Clarkson was reflecting on his bahaviour and developing new strategies on how he responds.
“As Alastair has identified himself, his behaviour and the language he used was unacceptable and he has taken responsibility for that,” Watt said.
Graeme Watson, image: North Melbourne Football Club.
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