Port Adelaide chairman David Koch has been criticized for his response to the homophobic slur used by Power star Jeremy Finlayson against a rival during Friday night’s match.
Finlayson issued a groveling apology for the ugly incident, which occurred in the third quarter of the Power’s 69-point win over the Bombers at Adelaide Oval during Gather Round.
“I take full responsibility for what happened on Friday evening,” Finlayson said in a statement from Port Adelaide on Sunday.
‘The word I used is very unacceptable in football. We have to eradicate it and I deeply regret it.”
Power chairman David Koch (pictured at a match in Port Adelaide) has infuriated football fans with his comments about Jeremy Finlayson’s homophobic slur
Finlayson (pictured) used the slur during Port’s win over Essendon on Friday evening. He apologized to the victim after the match and is now being punished by the AFL
It is understood that a referee’s microphone picked up the insult and several players heard it.
Finlayson is now being punished by the AFL, which is investigating the incident.
On Sunday, Koch appeared on ABC’s Offsiders program and left some fans fuming when asked about the severity of the punishment the league could impose.
He referred to the case of North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson, who was fined $20,000 and given a two-match ban for allegedly using the word “c**ks***er” in a heated argument with two St Kilda players during the match. preseason.
“If you look at comparisons, and there are benchmarks to be set, where a 55-year-old coach, with premeditation, focuses on the player and walks up to him, it’s very different from a player in the heat of the moment, when there were a lot of flaws in the game, the pressure – again, absolutely no excuse, I don’t condone it,” Koch said.
“But if you’re going to look at a comparison, that (Clarkson’s sentence) would be the benchmark.”
The former Sunrise host was then asked if he thought it was in the same category as Crows star Taylor Walker’s on-field racial slur from 2021, which saw him suspended for six games and fined $20,000.
Koch (pictured with Travis Boak after a match in 2017) said Finlayson should be treated the same as Alastair Clarkson, who did not miss a single match after using a homophobic slur against two St Kilda players in pre-season .
Comments like this one from Australian actor Matthew Backer sum up the thoughts of many football fans who took to social media to lash out at Koch
The former Sunrise presenter was accused of downplaying the seriousness of Finlayson’s shocking act, saying it could not be compared to Crow star Taylor Walker’s on-pitch racist abuse in 2021, which resulted in a suspension of six games.
“I don’t think that’s realistic… I think the benchmark has already been set (with the Clarkson incident).”
Footy fans criticized Koch, accusing him of trying to excuse Finlayson’s actions by saying that, like Clarkson, he did not deserve to miss games.
‘Yes no @kochie_online. A slur is a slur is a slur. You say you don’t condone a player making homophobic comments on the pitch and that there is no excuse, but in the same sentence you practically excuse it by saying it happened ‘in the heat of the moment’ and a ‘little thing’ . So disappointing,” wrote Australian actor Matthew Backer.
“Absolutely ridiculous version of David Koch,” another commenter wrote.
“David Koch: Homophobia is okay, but racism isn’t,” a third added.
“Imagine if the tables were turned, @kochie_online would want the player suspended,” one fan predicted, while another added: “David Koch is a hypocrite if one of his team’s players gets hit?!? Shocking.’
“This is pretty disgusting coming from Koch,” wrote journalist Greg Jericho.
Finlayson (pictured left during Friday night’s win) was congratulated by South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas for quickly apologizing after using the slur
‘It’s appalling and sends the wrong message to others that there are different levels of homophobic speech and this one should be seen as less. There should be no excuses for any player, coach, official, crowd member, anyone, who chooses to berate others. Koch is wrong,” said one fan.
“No men’s AFL player has ever been OPENLY gay while playing in a top team. Not one. Never. Statistically speaking, it’s nonsense that there are no gay men in AFL. An attitude like Koch’s is the reason they’re all in the closet,” another added.
“The defense of ‘some offensive, discriminatory comments are more offensive and discriminatory than others’ is a very low and offensive bar,” one commenter said.
Finlayson spoke to the rival he took a swipe at after the final siren.
“I knew immediately this was not acceptable and I take full responsibility,” Finlayson said.
“I discussed it at the time and… let everyone know what happened, and it’s now in the hands of the AFL to investigate.
One fan said insults like Finlayson’s (pictured) – and comments like Koch’s – are the reason the AFL has never had an openly gay current player
‘I continue to reflect and improve myself, and get as much education as possible to make myself better.’
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said Finlayson was honored for admitting his mistake.
“People make mistakes, we all do,” Malinauskas said Sunday.
“It is a great credit to Jeremy that he has apologized quickly and acknowledged the mistake he made.
“That is the action of someone who did the wrong thing and acted with integrity in following it.
“Obviously people will comment on how disappointing it is, but here we have a young man who made a mistake and has admitted it.”
The AFL Integrity Unit investigation is ongoing.
