Sydney Swans Apologise After AFL Referred To Antisemitism Royal Commission

The Sydney Swans have apologised for wiping references to the Jewish community from a pre-match tribute to the Bondi terror attack victims during the AFL’s Opening Round.

The apology was issued after Liberal senator James Paterson referred the AFL to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion, believing pressure from the organisation was behind the script change.

“It is particularly concerning that someone at the AFL apparently believes that acknowledging that the victims of Bondi were Jewish is a ‘political’ act, and is certainly not consistent with the AFL’s enthusiastic past embrace of contentious political causes, like the Voice referendum,” Mr Patterson said.

Swans chief executive and former player Matthew Pavlich spoke at the tribute, mentioning survivors and emergency responders of the massacre.

“We come together this evening to honour those who were injured and those who lost their lives at Bondi Beach in December,” Pavlich said before a moment of silence.

“To all in our community, we stand with you.”

The Sydney Swans addressed the media today, with Pavlich saying the script change was a decision made by the club alone.

“To be very clear, there was no directive from the AFL to remove reference to the Jewish community in the script, and we’ve never suggested this was the case,” Pavlich said.

“Plenty of the brave responders and also the community heroes were there, many … who aren’t Jewish. It was about acknowledging everyone that was out there.”

“It went through many different edits and, in the end, I saw the speech, I obviously gave it, so I take responsibility for that,” he said.

“It was about trying to be as inclusive as we could for many people affected … clearly, because we’re here today, that was an oversight that we got wrong. And we own that.”

The former Fremantle star apologised and said the club remained supportive of the Jewish community.