The GIANTS today received confirmation that player Lachie Whitfield and two former staff members have accepted sanctions from the AFL in relation to an integrity matter stemming from 2015. 

The Club notes that the sanctions for all three individuals fall under AFL rule 2.3, Conduct Unbecoming or prejudicial to the interests of the AFL. The sanctions have not been applied under the AFL’s Illicit Drug Policy.

Under the terms of the sanctions, Whitfield will serve a six-month suspension effective from November 12, 2016. He will be eligible to return to the club to train and use club facilities during the last two months of the suspension. He will be eligible to play for the GIANTS in Round 8 of the 2017 AFL Premiership Season.

The club has now put in place a range of contingency plans to accommodate the loss of Whitfield until Round 8 of the 2017 season.

Mid-way through 2015 the Club was made aware of an allegation from a member of the public that warranted investigation. The Club acted swiftly and appropriately, alongside the AFL - as soon as the GIANTS' CEO was made aware of the allegation the AFL and the GIANTS' Board were notified. The Club's Integrity Committee immediately commissioned an independent investigation by a Senior Counsel based on the then available evidence before the Senior Counsel’s report was forwarded to the AFL. 

As reflected in the AFL sanctions for all three individuals, whilst the major allegations have not been pressed, it has been established that former senior staff acted outside of their authority in managing circumstances and taking matters into their own hands. Their handling of the matter was independent of the Club and did not conform with the clearly established Club protocols, thus in no way relating to a governance failure on behalf of the Club.

The Club takes integrity matters extremely seriously and has cooperated fully with the AFL on this matter from the outset.