The Adelaide Football Club is trying to reduce a proposed five-game suspension that is set to be handed to their player Izak Rankine by arguing that the AFL has committed a double standard in booking US rapper Snoop Dogg to perform at this year’s Grand Final.
Rankine is currently the subject of an investigation after he was accused of making a homophobic slur, allegedly calling an unnamed opponent a ‘f****t’, during the Crows’ three-point victory against Collingwood on Saturday.
Talks between the AFL and the Crows regarding the slur have stretched into the fourth day and it is now expected that a decision on his sanction will be announced at some point on Thursday.
It is understood that the Crows have been given more time by the AFL to respond to the league for the proposed five-game penalty, which was unveiled by former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire on Tuesday.
‘The AFL advises that the Adelaide Crows have requested additional time to respond to the AFL’s proposed determinations regarding an alleged incident with player Izak Rankine,’ AFL general manager of corporate affairs Jay Allen said in a statement.
‘The AFL has granted this request and will provide an update on the matter tomorrow.’
The Adelaide Crows are set to argue that the AFL has made a double standard by hiring US rapper Snoop Dogg to perform at the Grand Final
It comes as the club has been granted an extension to make further submissions as it looks to reduce the proposed suspension Izak Rankine (pictured with Calista Mittiga) could receive
The Crows will deploy several arguments in their bid to reduce the severity of the sanction that Rankine will receive.
One of those submissions references how the AFL has employed Snoop Dogg for their Grand Final entertainment. The US rapper has a 1998 hit called ‘Doggz Gonna Get Ya’ which uses the same slur, ‘f****t’, that Rankine is being investigated for.
Snoop Dogg had also published a now-deleted image on Instagram in 2014 that showed two men together, with the rapper adding the caption: ‘Go suck ya man n get off my line f.A.G’.
However, the US rapper, known also as Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jnr, has stated that he is not homophobic, adding that he has friends who are gay.
‘I don’t have a problem with gay people. I got some gay homies,’ he said in an interview with The Guardian back in 2013.
Other footy commentators have called the AFL out on its decision to book the US rapper, considering the league’s current stance on promoting a diverse and inclusive culture within the sport.
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon published an LGBTQI+ Action Plan earlier this year in which the footy chief wrote: ‘I want to be clear: there is absolutely no place for homophobia, biphobia, or transphobia – or any form of discrimination for that matter – in our game, workplace, or society.’
The league has taken a strong stance against homophobia in the past two seasons by handing out heavy suspensions to multiple players. West Coast’s Jack Graham was suspended last month for four games for making a ‘highly offensive’ homophobic slur towards a GWS Giants player. Sydney youngster Riak Andrew was suspended for five matches for a homophobic slur made in a VFL match.
Snoop Dogg (pictured), who appeared at the Olympics last year, has a song called ‘Doggz Gonna Get Ya’ in which he uses the same slur, ‘f****t’, that Rankine is alleged to have used during Saturday’s three-point win against Collingwood
The Crows are set to put multiple arguments to the AFL. They will also claim that Rankine’s remorse over the matter should be taken into consideration when assessing whether there should be a reduction in his suspension
Several other players were suspended last year, with Suns player, Will Powell, receiving a five-match ban and Jeremy Finlayson, of Port Adelaide, being handed a three-match ban.
The Crows, meanwhile, are on the cusp of playing in finals this year, with the premiership hopefuls looking to break their 27-year wait for a flag.
However, it is looking likely they will be without small forward Rankine for the postseason fixtures. The 25-year-old has been a crucial cog in Matthew Nicks’ side’s surge to the top of the AFL ladder, booting 31 goals this season while also averaging 20 disposals a game, an above-average figure for the league this season.
The Crows will to also argue arguing that Rankine has shown remorse by choosing to phone the Magpies player he allegedly made the slur to on Sunday morning to apologise.
It comes as Tex Walker revealed this week that he had called his team-mate to check in on him and revealed that the contrite forward will ‘accept whatever comes his way.’
‘He’s very remorseful and he understands that he’s made a mistake and he’ll accept whatever comes his way,’ Walker told Triple M.
‘He hasn’t been outside. He had a full day of investigation with the AFL yesterday.
‘We will support Ranks, however, we don’t agree with what happened.’
Rankine (pictured with Calista Mittiga) is potentially looking at a five-match ban that could end his season early
The Crows will also argue that Rankine (left) was provoked by Collingwood star Dan Houston (right) who notably knocked him out in last year’s showdown
The Crows will also submit that Rankine was provoked by an incident with Dan Houston, in which the two players engaged in a heated war of words on the pitch. It came after Houston had knocked Rankine out during the Showdown clash and copped a five-week ban for the collision.
The details of their conversation have not been revealed but it is understood that Houston had made reference to Rankine being carried off the field last year.
Adelaide will face North Melbourne in their final regular-season match of the 2025 campaign. They are also arguing that suspensions for finals matches should be given greater weight than regular-season games.
Collingwood boss Craig McRae revealed that he has checked in on the player subjected to the alleged homophobic slur.
‘Yeah, I think so,’ he said, when asked if the Collingwood player was OK.
‘We had a good chat over the weekend and then again Monday morning just to check in, it’s about making sure our players are safe,’ McRae told reporters on Wednesday.
‘But I don’t want to demonise Izak either.
‘Everyone is allowed to make mistakes, and the young lad seems like a really respectful young man and he’s made an error.
‘The AFL will take their own course on that, but you’re allowed to make mistakes too.’
