Colgate has suspended its partnership with Sydney Swans player Isaac Heeney, and his children's book has been pulled from bookstore shelves, following an alleged sexual assault investigation. Heeney is reportedly the focus of a Victoria Police probe into an incident at the Pullman East Melbourne hotel.
Heeney, along with teammates Chad Warner, Riley Bice, Nick Blakey, and James Jordon, were suspended by the Sydney Swans for the remainder of the AFL season. The club cited breaches of its standards related to late-night drinking and bringing women back to the hotel. No charges have been laid, and the players have denied wrongdoing.
Colgate stated in a release that it takes such matters seriously and has suspended its partnership with Heeney pending the investigation's completion. Heeney's new children's book series, "Little Isaac Footy Fever," had its first two installments released on August 4. Major bookstores Readings and Gleebooks have stopped stocking the books. Booktopia is reportedly still considering its options.
Other commercial entities have also distanced themselves from the players. Telstra has sidelined Heeney and Warner from promotional activities, with a spokesperson confirming that players assisting police with their investigation will not participate in ambassador activities. The telecommunications company plans to review its ambassador arrangements after the investigation concludes.
The Sydney Marathon also altered a live site, changing the name from 'Swans Block Party' to 'SCG Block Party' and removing descriptions specifically targeting Sydney Swans supporters. Australian Red Cross Lifeblood has also ended a campaign encouraging fans to become blood donors.
Victoria Police's sex crimes squad is interviewing the players involved after the woman at the center of the allegations made a formal complaint. Reports from sources suggest that players were in a room with women, with allegations of illicit drug use, including cocaine and ketamine, also emerging. Swans officials declined to comment on potential drug testing, stating it could be part of the police investigation.
Details from Wednesday indicate that the five players had guests in their hotel rooms around 4 a.m. Monday. Later, hotel staff reported two women seeking access to guest rooms, with one alleging she had been "touched" and felt overwhelmed. Sources claim the woman may have been locked out of a room and protested that she had been violated. Police were called after one woman was seen crying in a hotel restroom. [IMAGE1: Heeney, 30, was one of the five Swans players stood down for the rest of the AFL season by the club on Wednesday and has been revealed to be in the centre of police investigations] [IMAGE2: The fallout of the Sydney Swans scandal involving an alleged sexual assault at a Melbourne hotel continues, with bookstores pulling Isaac Heeney's new children's books off its shelves]