Updated ,first published
Carlton have been hit with a $75,000 fine and were found by the AFL to have brought the game into disrepute as a result of the review of the circumstances relating to Elijah Hollands’ fitness to play against Collingwood in round six.
The fine will be paid to mental health service provider Headspace, which provides mental health and wellbeing services for young people and their families.
The review findings were light on detail as there is still a WorkSafe investigation under way.
Hollands experienced a mental health episode on the field against the Magpies on April 16. He was later admitted to hospital.
Carlton, after an extensive internal probe, submitted to the AFL their review into the decision to allow Hollands to play against Collingwood. The Blues’ view is that decisions were made during the unprecedented situation in good faith, with Hollands’ health and wellbeing at the forefront.
“Having reviewed Carlton’s report, and conducted further enquiries, we found that there were sufficient visual cues, performance data during the match, and an understanding of Elijah’s individual circumstances to indicate that he should have been removed from play earlier than he was,” AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
“We also determined that the delay in removing Elijah from the field resulted in an outcome that brought the game into disrepute.
“These findings have been made against the Carlton Football Club collectively, not against any individual.
“As a result, Carlton has been found to have breached AFL Rule 2.3(a).”
The AFL has mandated that clubs employ a club psychologist full-time within each of their AFL and AFLW programs, and the league will also review the club football department soft cap, with a view to increasing minimum investment in healthcare.
The AFL has also pledged to establish “industry-wide ‘psychological fitness to play’ best practice guidance, developed in consultation with club healthcare teams”, and mandated “expanded mental health literacy training across football departments”.
Carlton coach Michael Voss made an impassioned defence of club staff, and the Blues engaged lawyers with workplace expertise to navigate the complex issue.
The AFL is also keen to use its findings to assist in dealing with such issues in the future.
