AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has backed Collingwood’s decision to retain Eddie McGuire as president despite being charged with breaching the league’s racial vilification policy.
McGuire has been given the full support of the Collingwood board after earlier being forced to apologise for his comments during a radio program where he suggested Sydney star Adam Goodes could star in a promotion of the new King Kong musical.
The comments are believed to have deeply upset Goodes, who was also called an “ape” by a young Magpies fan during last Friday’s game against the Swans at the MCG.
Demetriou said his thoughts were first and foremost with Goodes, and it wasn’t up to him to decide if McGuire stayed on as Collingwood president.
“Goodes is the person who feels very aggrieved,” Demetriou told reporters in Brisbane.
“Yesterday morning he was shattered and spent most of the day trying to come to grips with why this has occurred, particularly after Friday.
“My first thoughts, my second thoughts and my third thoughts are with Adam Goodes.
“Eddie McGuire has made a mistake. Eddie McGuire has said things that were unacceptable and Eddie McGuire has apologised, he’s apologised I reckon at least a hundred times.
“Eddie McGuire understands that what he said was unacceptable, it was a comment that whatever he chooses to say, and however he puts it, racially vilified Adam Goodes.”
Demetriou said his initial public comment on the issue had come after a short briefing when he hadn’t been made fully aware of McGuire’s comments and his much harsher reaction shortly afterward was more fully informed.