Gold Coast Suns player Max Knobel is under investigation by the AFL after allegedly using a homophobic slur during a VFL match.
According to 7News, the 21-year-old allegedly made the comment towards an opponent during Saturday afternoon’s 6 June VFL match against the Brisbane Lions.
Knobel reportedly later self-reported the incident to club officials.
“The Gold Coast Suns are aware of an incident involving one of its players in Saturday’s VFL match against the Brisbane Lions,” a spokesperson for the club said in a statement.
“The club is currently cooperating fully with the AFL’s Integrity Unit as part of an ongoing investigation.”
An AFL spokesperson also confirmed the matter had been referred to the league’s Integrity Unit.
“We have been made aware of a matter arising from the VFL Round 11 match between the Gold Coast Suns and Brisbane Lions, which has been referred to the AFL Integrity Unit.”
Homophobic language “has no place in footy”
The investigation follows a series of recent AFL and VFL sanctions over homophobic language.
A month ago, Brisbane’s Koby Evans received a four-match penalty for using a homophobic slur during a VFL match.
That penalty came shortly after St Kilda’s Lance Collard received a four-match ban, with two matches suspended, for his second incident of the same nature in three years. Collard had previously been suspended for six matches in 2024.
After Collard’s initial penalty was reduced on appeal, the AFL sacked the chair of the league’s appeals board following public backlash.
In its ruling, the board described football as “a hard game” and “highly competitive”, adding that “it is commonplace that players can employ language from time to time which is racist, sexist or homophobic.”
The AFL later “specifically rejected” the idea that such language being common in football should reduce the seriousness of a sanction.
“Let’s be clear — homophobia has no place in Australian football. Not at any level. Not under any circumstances,” AFL CEO Andrew Dillon said.
Since the start of 2024, five other AFL players have also been sanctioned for using homophobic slurs.
Port Adelaide’s Jeremy Finlayson, Adelaide’s Izak Rankine, West Coast’s Jack Graham, Sydney’s Riak Andrew, and Gold Coast’s Wil Powell have all received varying match bans after using slurs.
The latest investigation places renewed scrutiny on the AFL’s handling of homophobic language and its efforts to create a safer, more inclusive culture across the sport.
