Former North Melbourne player Danielle Laidley is desperate to educate Australian Rules players and officials at all level about how inappropriate slurs can cause harm to the LGBTQIA+ community.
Laidley spoke out after Port Adelaide’s Jeremy Finlayson was handed a three-match ban for using a homophobic slur during his side’s 69-point win over Essendon on Saturday night.
Finlayson told the club of his comment at three-quarter time of the match, with the club releasing a statement on Saturday.
“A contrite Finlayson made the club aware during the three-quarter time break and apologised to the victim on [the] field after the final siren last night,” the statement read.
On Sunday, the forward also released a statement.
“The word I used is very unacceptable in the game of football. We need to stamp it out and I’m very remorseful,” Finlayson said in a statement.
“I knew straight away that it was not acceptable and I take full responsibility.”
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