Former Carlton and Port Adelaide midfielder, Nick Stevens, has been blocked by AFL Victoria from accepting a country football coaching role due to a conviction relating to domestic violence.
The announcement of his appointment came last Thursday, just one day after White Ribbon Day, Australia’s national day to highlight and make a stop to men’s violence against women.
Immediately following the appointment, the club that had attempted to hire Stevens (Sunraysia league team Red Cliffs) began to come under increasing public pressure to part ways with the former AFL star, whose appeal against his charges are still ongoing.
Stevens, who is fighting an eight-month jail sentence, is due back in court in July 2016.
AFL stops country club from appointing Nick Stevens as coach due to court case https://t.co/MDDjI4pMel pic.twitter.com/nVq4aVDGjm
— 3AW Melbourne (@3AW693) December 1, 2015
In a statement from AFL Victoria, it was made clear that police screening was an integral requirement for gaining coaching accreditation and that ‘charges of violence or a violent nature’ provided sufficient grounds to deny employment.
The statement also added that if Stevens attempted to coach any club without accreditation he would be fined, and Red Cliffs Football Club put at risk of losing points for the upcoming season.
If Stevens can have his conviction overturned in July, his ability to apply for AFL coaching accreditation in the future will be reviewed.
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