Powell-Pepper suspended by AFL for 'inappropriate contact with a female'
Port Adelaide midfielder Sam PowellPepper has been suspended by the AFL for a further week following an alcohol-fuelled incident at an Adelaide nightclub.
An AFL investigation has found the 20-year-old engaged in conduct “unbecoming for an AFL player by being intoxicated in a public place and by making inappropriate contact with a female” earlier this month.
He will be free to resume playing at AFL level in next week’s game against West Coast, having accepted a three-game suspension which includes the two he missed while the investigation was ongoing.
Powell-Pepper served a one-game club ban in round four for breaking team rules by being drunk in a public place and out past curfew. He also chose to sit out last weekend’s match against Geelong.
Because his transgressions were off-field, however, Powell-Pepper was given the all-clear to play for Port Adelaide’s SANFL team in their Anzac Day game against Sturt.
Port chief executive Keith Thomas originally was not going to comment until Thursday but issued a statement in the wake of the AFL announcement. Thomas said the club was looking forward to providing an accurate assessment of what happened in the nightclub.
“We acknowledge that it has taken longer to reach a conclusion than preferred and both Sam and the club acknowledge Sam’s behaviour was inappropriate and accept the penalty,” Thomas said.
“However there were many elements to this incident that needed to be fully understood before a decision could be fairly reached. We are looking forward to discussing these issues in some detail at tomorrow’s media conference.
“Of most importance to Sam, the AFLPA and Port Adelaide was the AFL’s finding that there was no evidence or suggestion of sexual or indecent assault, as has been speculated by some media outlets throughout the investigation.”
On Monday Port president David Koch railed against the AFL, claiming the integrity unit’s report had been completed last week but club officials had only been given a summary.