An AFL investigation has cleared Sydney coach Paul Roos of trying to affect the result of a pre-season match.
Under the league’s rules, Roos could have faced the maximum penalty of indefinite suspension and a $100,000 fine.
Former president of the Victorian Court of Appeal, Justice John Winneke, conducted the investigation and cleared the premiership coach of any breach of the AFL’s rules.
The AFL said in a statement: “Mr Justice Winneke concluded there was nothing before him that ‘would or could lead him to the conclusion that any words uttered by Roos during the course of the game between Sydney and Hawthorn on 17 February at Aurora Stadium at Launceston were uttered with a purpose of intentionally inducing or encouraging any player to perform otherwise than on his merits’.”
Close to the final siren, Roos was standing on the boundary line and allegedly told Jarrad McVeigh to “go forward, just don’t kick a goal”.
Sydney lost the match by less than a goal.
The AFL Coaches Association (AFLCA) was delighted with the outcome of the investigation.
“Paul Roos is a man of the highest integrity and never at any stage did his peers in the AFL Coaches Association have anything but the utmost support and belief in him with regards to this investigation,” AFL Coaches Association President Neale Daniher said in a statement tonight.
“It goes without question that all members of the Coaches Association fully appreciate the abhorrent implications of match fixing and we see it as a most serious offence.”
Following on from today’s announcement the AFLCA will now be seeking a rule clarification from the AFL.
“While the coaches are happy with the result that Paul Roos was found to have no case to answer, I think we now need to get some clarification with regards to this rule,” Daniher said.
The specific rule under which the investigation was launched was Gambling 19.3 (v) which states: “being a Player, Coach or assistant Coach fail to perform on their merits, or induce or encourage any Player, Coach or assistant Coach not to perform on their merits, in any Match for any reason whatsoever.”
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