Adelaide Crows forward Taylor Walker suspended by AFL for six games over racist comment

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Adelaide Crows star Taylor Walker has been suspended for six games by the AFL after the league discovered he made a racist comment during a SANFL game.

Key points: Walker will miss the remaining three games of this season, and the top three of 2022.

The comment was reported to the club by one of its own officials.

Walker, who apologized for the incident, will also have to donate $ 20,000 to a program for Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders in South Africa.

“There is no apology or justification for the words I said,” Walker said in a statement released by the AFL.

“They are unacceptable and I take full responsibility for them. I am deeply ashamed.

“Today’s process has given me a better understanding of the harm I have caused, and I am embarrassed, ashamed and remorseful.”

The comment was made in reference to North Adelaide player Robbie Young, who is native and played for AFL St Kilda in a Crows reserve game in the SANFL on July 17.

The comment was reported by an official at Adelaide Crows, triggering an investigation by the AFL’s integrity unit.

“Taylor Walker of the Adelaide Crows, who was not playing in the game, made a racist comment about North Adelaide player Robbie Young to a playing Adelaide Crows teammate,” the AFL said in its statement.

“An Adelaide Crows official heard the comment and reported the incident to the club who reported it to the AFL.”

The AFL said Robbie Young accepted Walker’s apology. (

Provided: SANFL

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The six-game ban will see Walker miss the remaining three games of this season and the top three of the 2022 season.

The AFL said Walker apologized to Young and the official who reported the comment, and both accepted the apology.

“I had no intention of harming, but I know and understand that I have caused profound harm to the official who reported the matter and to Robbie Young, their two families and the wider community of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders. I apologize to everyone and to the football clubs in Adelaide and North Adelaide, “Walker said.

“The manager who reported this showed courage and leadership in shouting out what I said, and I am determined to do what I can to emulate his actions.”

Other punitive measures against Walker include setting up an education program involving volunteering “in appropriate community programs”.

He will also apologize privately to Adelaide club staff and officials, and will do the same with players in North Adelaide.

Club official congratulated for speaking out

AFL’s Executive Director General for Inclusion and Social Policy, Tanya Hosch, participated in the formal conciliation process under the AFL’s Peek Rule, which concerns defamation and discrimination.

Tanya Hosch praised the official for reporting the comment. (

Getty Images / Michael Willson / AFL Photos

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Ms Hosch said she accepted Walker’s remorse, but that “racist actions and behavior are inexcusable”.

“I have no doubt that Mr. Walker has remorse, understands that his comments can trigger trauma and have a serious impact on the mental health of the individuals, families and communities involved and he has accepted his sanctions,” he said. she declared.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in today’s conciliation process, in particular the manager of Adelaide and Mr. Young for speaking out against the behavior and / or taking a stand against racism through their involvement in this process. . “

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Walker was absent from the Crows’ morning practice yesterday ahead of Saturday’s AFL Showdown against Port Adelaide.

Today he said he wanted to be an “active participant in the fight against racism in our game and in the community at large”.

“It starts with educating myself so that I can influence others and make a positive difference in the future,” Walker said.

“I know I need to back up my apology with action, and this is my pledge.”

The Crows said today Walker admitted making the comment and that the club “strongly” condemned his behavior as well as “any form of racial defamation.”

“He ran the club today, he spoke to our native players, he spoke to our group of players. He’s an emotional wreck right now, but it’s not just about him, it’s about has a number of people who have been affected here, “said Crows CEO Tim Silvers.

“He admitted the mistake and we expect him to make headlines in the not-so-distant future.

“It was a serious error in judgment for him. He’s disappointed in himself. He couldn’t believe, really, that it was coming out of his mouth. But he needed to admit it because it was. He apologizes and is really embarrassed. “

Walker was once outspoken against racism. (

AAP: Sam Wundke

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Silvers said he discovered the incident shortly after the SANFL game.

“There was an internal person who reported it to us [and] we immediately sent it back to the AFL, so it was a self-declaration and we went through the process, the racial defamation investigation process. It took over two weeks, but we thought it was the right thing to do, “he said.

“We think it took real courage for someone internally and that defines our culture a bit, that an internal person could have held someone who has been at the club for 14 years, with such an illustrious career, to hold him to account for what he said.

“I really couldn’t believe [Walker]would say something like that.

“We didn’t even have to talk about his future.”

“A lot of people were injured”

Adelaide Crows coach Matthew Nicks choked back tears as he expressed remorse on behalf of the club.

“What is being played here is totally unacceptable and something that we will not defend as a football club, it is something that I will not defend as a football manager,” he said.

“There have been a lot of people who have been hurt by this, the aboriginal community first and foremost.

“It’s times like this that you phone people you’ve played with and apologize to them. You just want to be able to look them in the eye and say, ‘We support you.’ . It’s hard to do right now. “

The episode left a cloud over Walker’s future and Nicks said he couldn’t answer whether Walker would continue playing next year or when he would return to training.

“We spoke on the phone first on Thursday. Tex was obviously having a hard time then and still is. I’m not sure Tex understands or knows why this came out of his mouth,” he said. declared.

Crows coach Matthew Nicks became emotional during his statement. (

ABC News

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He said he “couldn’t be more proud” of the official who reported the incident.

“There is an education [process] around the history of this country and the people who were the first here that when you understand that it’s amazing how much you respect the people who were on this earth first, ”he said .

Nicks was also asked whether Walker should face the media today.

“It’s really hard for me to comment on where Tex should be right now. It’s not my priority right now,” he said.

“There’s the human side, Taylor is going through a pretty tough time at this point.

“At the right time, he will come out and speak.

The comment was “damaging and divisive”, according to AFLPA

AFL Players’ Association CEO Paul Marsh said he also spoke to Walker and that AFLPA was “extremely disappointed with the language used” by the veteran Crows.

“Tex’s language was damaging and divisive, and there is no excuse for it. We are very clear that this racism is heinous and that there is no place for it in our game.” , said Marsh.

“We would like to thank Robbie Young and have contacted him to offer our support. We also want to commend the manager of the Adelaide Crows for his courage in resolving this issue.”

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