Controversial Collingwood star Jordan De Goey has been given personal leave by the AFL club, with no time frame on his return.
A day after being hit with a $25,000 suspension fine, he apologized for his “disrespectful” conduct while partying in Bali.
“Collingwood advises player Jordan De Goey has been granted personal leave by the club and will not take part in the round 15 matches against GWS,” the club said in a statement on Wednesday evening about Sunday’s game.
“Jordan has been absent from training this week, and the club will continue to support him on his return to the football program.”
Footage emerged on social media last week of De Goey, who the club permitted to travel to Bali on his mid-season break, making lewd gestures while at a nightclub.
The fine is suspended through to the end of the season, dependent on good behavior.
De Goey will also “undertake further behavioral education” in addition to an existing counseling program. He avoided any suspension from playing duties.
Collingwood has also put contract talks with the 26-year-old entering free agency on hold until the season’s end.
“The actions shown in the video footage are disrespectful, and I accept that I have betrayed the trust the club showed in me by allowing me to take my mid-season break overseas,” De Goey said in a statement on Tuesday.
“My actions have fallen short of the standards expected of me as a person, as an AFL footballer, and as a representative of Collingwood. I had worked hard this year to establish trust and confidence in myself to make better decisions, and I have undone that trust through no one’s fault but my own.
“Again, I apologize for my disrespectful conduct. I understand that I have let many people down and have much work to do to rebuild trust again.”
The 26-year-old’s statement was in stark contrast to his initial response via Instagram, where he lamented the media’s “persecution” of athletes.
De Goey also said he was diagnosed with ADHD last year and was “trying to become more aware” of why he made mistakes.
On Tuesday, the Collingwood chief executive, Mark Anderson, condemned De Goey’s actions as demonstrating disrespect towards women. He was particularly dismayed by the vision of De Goey pulling at a woman’s top, almost exposing her breast.
The Bali incident comes after De Goey was stood down by Collingwood in October 2021 when he was arrested for a drunken incident at a New York nightclub.
Anderson had said that De Goey would speak in the next few days, but it was unclear whether that would go ahead, given the player was now on leave.
The AFL said Collingwood had “handled the matter appropriately,” and the league wouldn’t take further action against De Goey. But the club criticized his behavior for setting a bad example.
