The NRL began an investigation into an alleged homophobic slur immediately after becoming aware of an incident that occurred towards the end of the Warriors v Cowboys match at Redcliffe last night.
Broadcast audio picked up the slur when a Warriors player appeared to use the word ‘f—-t’ against an opposing player. The incident occurred about 20 minutes before the end of the match. Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt was lying on the ground due to a match injury. The broadcast audio captured someone thought to be a Warriors player shouting, “Get up, Kyle, you f—-t.”
The NRL have recently taken a firm stance against homophobic and racist slurs. If the allegation is confirmed and the player identified, he is likely to face a significant penalty.
Warriors chief executive Cameron George said he did not believe the video proved that a Warriors player said the word.
“We don’t condone any comment in this manner but on the footage provided it’s inconclusive and I struggle to see how it could be attributed to any of our players.”
Warriors v Cowboys
The New Zealand team beat the North Queensland Cowboys 25-24 in the game played at Redcliffe’s Moreton Daily Stadium.
2022 and we still hear this on a footy field 🤦♂️#NRLWarriorsCowboys pic.twitter.com/ptSTXaDf58
— Dean Messiter (@truck1984) April 8, 2022
The incident comes just months after Football Australia fined the Melbourne Victory $5,000 for homophobic abuse towards Josh Cavallo.
In March, Adelaide City FC called out their own fans over homophobic abuse directed at other teams and banned some supporters from entering their stadium.
For the latest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) news in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
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