‘i Will Work To Regain Everyone’s Trust’: Banned Izak Rankine Breaks Silence After Homophobic Slur

Adelaide ace Izak Rankine says he is committed to regaining society’s spot successful nan aftermath of his AFL prohibition for a homophobic slur. An affectional Rankine returned to Australia connected Tuesday nighttime and fought backmost tears during a nationalist apology astatine Adelaide airport.

“Going distant has fixed maine abstraction to bespeak and amended myself to understand nan weight of my mistake,” Rankine said. “And I americium afloat committed to bettering myself. In nan adjacent fewer days I will beryllium opinionated successful beforehand of my teammates and nan AFLW and apologising to them personally – and they merit this astatine nan very least.

“From here, each I tin do is put my caput down, activity hard, support my teammates successful nan champion measurement I tin and show done my actions that I americium going to study from my mistake. More than anything, I want this nine to win truthful I will beryllium doing everything I tin to summation everyone’s spot backmost and person a affirmative effect impact connected nine and my supporters.”

The 25-year-old is nan sixth AFL-listed subordinate successful 16 months to beryllium banned for an on-field homophobic slur. Rankine has served 1 crippled of his four-match suspension. His only dream of playing again this play is if his Crows suffer Thursday night’s qualifying last against Collingwood but past advancement to nan expansive last erstwhile he would beryllium available.

Rankine said he was “in nary measurement a victim” and expressed remorse for nan homophobic slur directed astatine a Collingwood subordinate successful a 16 August game.

“There was nary excuse. It was incorrect and I return afloat responsibility,” he said. “I’m disappointed successful myself and I cognize I person fto a batch of group down. I want to apologise to anyone who I person wounded and offended. I understand that connection was offensive, harmful, it’s hurtful and has nary spot successful our crippled aliases our society.”

Rankine’s nationalist comments came aft arriving connected a formation from Doha. He had spent clip successful Italy to debar nan spotlight successful Adelaide successful nan aftermath of his suspension. When nan AFL announced Rankine’s prohibition connected 21 August, Crows main executive Tim Silvers said he was tense astir nan intelligence wellness of nan prima utility.

Rankine is not expected to be Adelaide’s past training convention connected Wednesday greeting up of nan qualifying last against nan Magpies astatine Adelaide Oval. Rankine was banned aft a prolonged AFL investigation into his violative comment.

The time aft nan 16 August fixture, Rankine privately apologised to nan Collingwood player. That apology came arsenic nan AFL’s integrity portion launched an investigation. The AFL initially decided connected a five-game ban.

But nan punishment was reduced to 4 matches owed to “compelling aesculapian submissions”, nan league’s main executive Andrew Dillon said erstwhile announcing nan suspension connected 21 August. Dillon and nan Crows person refused to item nan quality of nan submissions.

Since past April, Rankine, Port Adelaide’s Jeremy Finlayson (three games), Gold Coast’s Wil Powell (five games), West Coast’s Jack Graham (four games) and 2 AFL-listed players successful nan VFL – Sydney’s Riak Andrew (five games) and St Kilda’s Lance Collard (six matches) – person been suspended for on-field homophobic comments.