Aussie rules footy players referred to police as detectives investigate sexual assault
The "disappointed" Sydney Swans CEO wouldn't say what the incident was or how many players were involved.
A number of Australian Rules Football players have been brought to the attention of law enforcement as detectives look into a sexual assault claim.
The club of several players from a premier Australian Football League (AFL) team announced that these individuals have been referred to the police regarding an "alleged incident" that took place in Melbourne on Sunday evening.
Concurrently, Victoria Police confirmed that detectives are probing a report of a sexual assault at an East Melbourne hotel.
The Sydney Swans verified that an incident involving an undisclosed number of players occurred shortly after the team's victory at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Chief executive Matthew Pavlich stated that the club was "still piecing together exactly what's transpired" and refrained from elaborating on the specific allegations.
"Safe to say, we're extremely shocked and disappointed that this has taken place, and that the players have found themselves in this situation," he remarked during a Monday press conference.
"There's going to be lots of speculation, but given it's a police matter right now, that is all we can say."
Pavlich did not disclose whether any arrests had been made or provide details on the number of players involved.
A police spokesperson indicated that the incident under investigation occurred at a hotel on Wellington Parade in the early hours of Sunday morning.
"The exact circumstances are yet to be established and the investigation into the incident remains ongoing," the spokesperson added.
In a statement, the football league confirmed that Sydney "made the AFL aware of the matter which is currently under Victoria Police investigation."