Country football official resigns after vulgar social media posts

The vice-president of a country football league at the centre of a bitter dispute with the Kyneton Women’s Football Club has resigned, following a series of vulgar comments on the club’s social media page.

Andrew Power resigned from the Riddell District Football Netball League board on Monday after The Age sent the league a series of questions about comments Power had left on the Instagram page of the women’s club that has been fighting for the right to play.

The Age has seen screenshots of the now hidden Instagram comments, which include vulgar comments and jokes about being bisexual.

The Kyneton women’s team has several queer, non-binary and First Nations players, and includes players with disabilities.

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This masthead spoke with Power on Tuesday morning who confirmed he had resigned from the RDFNL board.

“I have resigned from the RDFL board for personal reasons, nothing to do with anything that is happening on social media, or a decision by AFL Victoria, or any decision that has anything to do with Kyneton Women’s Football Club. That is not why I resigned, but yes, I’ve stood down.”

Power confirmed he did post the comments on Instagram.

This masthead has seen screenshots of Power’s comments in an email to the AFL Integrity Unit on February 7.

The AFL declined to comment.

The league said in a statement on Tuesday that it had been made aware of the comments on Power’s social media account.

“The RDFNL had no prior knowledge of these comments. Following a brief review, Andrew Power and the RDFNL mutually agreed that his personal views are not aligned with the values of the League, its Board, and staff,” the statement said.

“Andrew has resigned from his position as Vice President effective immediately.

“We thank him for his service over many seasons and wish him well for the future.

“The RDFNL does not condone or support the behaviour reflected in those comments and apologises for any distress caused to members of our community.”

Power’s resignation follows a 12-month dispute between the Kyneton women’s team and the RDFNL. The women’s side defected from Kyenton Football Netball Club last year after claims over inequitable treatment and disrespectful conditions, and have been battling to find a new home.

In a separate incident, on December 21, Instagram media page Not All Clubs posted an alleged comment by RDFL President Brenton Knott in a private message to a supporter, later leaked to media, saying the situation was “not about footy, it’s about grooming and gender weirdness”.

The league has since said the message was a “falsified, photoshopped and doctored image”.

The comment was allegedly sent in response to a post discussing Kyenton’s application to join the Central Victorian Football League.

“You need to look at the other side. They don’t deserve anything — you’re advocating that any team that’s not happy breaks away,” said the alleged message, which has been seen by The Age.

“How is that manageable by the AFL? If you look at the principals [sic] in this — it’s not about footy, it’s about grooming and gender weirdness.

“You follow local footy so you need to see AFL Vic and RDFNL aren’t the bad ones here.”

On February 6, the RDFNL published a statement on their website and said Knott’s alleged comments were a “falsified, photoshopped and doctored image”. The AFL Integrity Unit has not announced an outcome of the investigation; the AFL was contacted for comment.

“The RDFNL and Brenton were not able to come out and deny these claims publicly during this time but can now confirm that these claims to be completely false and fake and both parties,” the organisation said.

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