Zak Butters has sensationally been found guilty of umpire abuse after the AFL Tribunal accepted the evidence of an umpire that the Port Adelaide star questioned his integrity.
In a significant case that heard conflicting evidence between field umpire Nick Foot and Port Adelaide stars Butters and Ollie Wines, Butters was fined $1500 after being found guilty of abusive or insulting language towards an official.
After the hearing, a disappointed Butters maintained he never asked the umpire, “How much are they paying you?”, as was alleged by experienced umpire Foot before he paid a 50-metre penalty and reported the Port player in Sunday night’s clash between the Power and St Kilda at Adelaide Oval.
“[I’m] incredibly disappointed with the result tonight,” Butters told reporters outside Power HQ on Tuesday night. “I stand by knowing what I said and what I didn’t say – especially what I didn’t say.”
Port Adelaide’s legal representative had warned of the “serious” repercussions of the case should Butters be found guilty.
