Five players from the Sydney Swans Australian Football League team have been interviewed by police in Melbourne as part of an investigation into an alleged sexual assault at a hotel. The incident reportedly occurred at the Pullman East Melbourne hotel on Monday morning, after the team's win against Essendon.
Police were called to the hotel after a woman approached staff in a distressed state, alleging she had been "touched" and felt overwhelmed by several men in her room. Unconfirmed reports also circulated suggesting a player may have thrown a sex toy that struck a woman.
The players interviewed have been identified as Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Riley Bice, James Jordon, and a fifth player. Authorities have requested CCTV footage from the hotel as part of their investigation.
The Sydney Swans organization has confirmed it is investigating the alleged incident. A spokesperson stated that the club has notified the AFL and relevant authorities and is cooperating with them. Club CEO Matthew Pavlich indicated that the team is working with the AFL and authorities to understand the details of what transpired, expressing shock and disappointment over the allegations.
"We're still piecing together exactly what has transpired here and have our own set of internal enquiries ongoing," Pavlich said. "But it's safe to say we're extremely shocked and disappointed."
This is a developing story.