The Australian Football League (AFL) is reviewing Nicky Winmar's place in the Hall of Fame following his conviction for assault. The league confirmed that Winmar's status is under examination after he was found guilty of a violent attack.
Winmar, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2022, was convicted of smashing a woman's head against a door in northern Victoria on May 14 of the previous year. The charges related to allegations that Winmar grabbed the woman by the arm, dragged her by the hair, and struck her head against a door. He was acquitted on a charge of intentionally causing injury.
This review follows action taken by authorities in Western Australia, where a statue of Winmar was removed. Premier Roger Cook ordered the removal of the statue, which commemorated a significant moment in Winmar's career when he famously pointed to his skin color in response to racist abuse during a 1993 match. Cook stated that "violence against women is never acceptable, and it is important we send a strong message to the community."
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese supported Premier Cook's decision, saying, "There is no place for violence against women anywhere in Australia."
The AFL has a precedent for removing legend status. In 2023, former North Melbourne player Barry Cable was stripped of his legend status after being found to have sexually abused a young girl. Subsequently, the AFL charter was amended to include a clause allowing the AFL Commission to "remove any person for conduct which brings the AFL, the Hall of Fame inductee, any AFL club or Australian football in disrepute."
Winmar, 60, is also a member of the St Kilda Hall of Fame. The club has not yet commented on whether any action will be taken regarding his position within their Hall of Fame. The statue, erected in 2019, was commissioned by the AFL and created by sculptor Louis Laumen. Laumen expressed sadness at its removal but stated he does not condone Winmar's actions.
