Women’s footy club complains to the AFL after league president allegedly accused them of ‘grooming and gender weirdness’
A women’s footy club has lashed out after the president of the local league allegedly said the team’s attempt to play in a different competition is ‘not about footy, it’s about grooming and gender weirdness’.
In February this year, the Kyneton Women’s Eagles team broke away from their old club over allegations they were being exposed to inequitable treatment and a lack of support.
The Eagles pride themselves on inclusion and field gender-diverse, LGBTQIA+ and First Nations players.
Now the side wants to join the Central Victorian Football League in a move that is being opposed by the Riddell District Football Netball League (RDFNL).
The RDFNL vetoed the move after allegedly refusing to let the Eagles into their competition and Kyneton has now reported the league’s president, Brenton Knott, to the AFL Integrity Unit over his alleged remarks.
‘They don’t deserve anything – you’re advocating that any team that’s not happy breaks away,’ Knott told a Kyneton supporter in a social media exchange, according to News Corp.
Pictured: Players from the Kyneton Women’s Football Club. The team has involved the AFL Integrity Unit over what it says is a ‘harmful and offensive’ statement from the president of a local Aussie Rules league
The president of the Riddell District Football Netball League allegedly said Kyneton’s attempt to play in a different competition is ‘not about footy, it’s about grooming and gender weirdness’ (Kyneton Women’s players, pictured)
‘How is that manageable by the AFL? If you look at the principals [sic] in this – it’s not about footy, it’s about grooming and gender weirdness.
‘You follow local footy so you need to see AFL Vic and RDNFL aren’t the bad ones here.’
Kyneton branded Knott’s alleged remarks ‘harmful and offensive’ when the club hit back in a statement on Monday.
‘Kyneton Women’s Football Club is deeply disturbed by a message that is now public, attributed to RDFNL President Brenton Knott, which uses harmful and offensive language in relation to gender diversity and inclusion in football,’ the statement read.
‘We unequivocally condemn the sentiments expressed in that message.’
The club said it is ‘now seeking legal advice in relation to this matter’, claiming ‘silence in the face of such conduct only enables further harm’.
The statement also confirmed that the team ‘submitted a formal complaint to AFL Integrity’.
Geelong AFL legend Jimmy Bartel (pictured) said Kyneton’s struggle to find a new league to play in ‘doesn’t make sense to me’
The Kyneton team pride themselves on inclusion and field gender-diverse, LGBTQIA+ and First Nations players (stock image)
The Daily Mail has contacted Mr Knott and the RDFNL for comment.
‘Our players include women and gender-diverse people, First Nations people, LGBTIQA+ community members and allies, people with disabilities, parents and people who have experienced significant hardship,’ the statement said.
‘We are proud of our diverse and welcoming community.’
Kyneton received support from 3AW radio host Mark Allen, who called attempts to block the side from switching leagues ‘madness’ earlier this month.
Kyneton president Natalie Korinfsky told 3AW the Central Victorian Football League accepted their application to join ‘unanimously’, but it was blocked when the RDFNL opposed it and AFL Victoria upheld that decision.
Korinfsky summed up the situation by saying the RDFNL ‘said we don’t want you, but we don’t want anyone else to have you, essentially’.
Geelong AFL legend and 3AW presenter Jimmy Bartel said the situation ‘doesn’t make sense to me’.
