Social media has claimed another unexpected victim, with AFL figures disappointed that the identity of the victim of the Justin Sherman racial vilification case could not be kept confidential.
Player manager Alastair Lynch told SEN radio today that his client, Joel Wilkinson, had to endure "exactly the situation he wanted to avoid" after he was abused by Western Bulldog Sherman on Saturday.
"Although Joel has had a lot of support and stands by his actions to make the complaint, I think it's important not to name these players because we don't want to discourage guys in the future that maybe think 'well, I just don't want to be on the front page of every paper in the country, I don't want the focus'," Lynch said.
Lynch said Wilkinson now wanted to move on from the unsavoury incident.
Sherman was yesterday suspended from playing in the AFL for four matches, and ordered to pay a $5000 fine after a conciliation process following his repeated racial slurs against the Suns debutant. Many commentators have criticised the penalties as too lenient, but the AFLPA's general manager of player relations, Ian Prendergast, has a different view.
"I think the real penalty in all of this is that Justin has to deal with this for the rest of his life - not only his playing career," he said on SEN this afternoon.
Prendergast was also disappointed that the identity of the victim was not protected.
"Joel chose to maintain the confidentiality around his involvement coming out of the conciliation process which is completely confidential. Both players have to agree on any public statement that is made and Justin decided that he was prepared to go public with it.
"It is disappointing that Joel's confidentiality wasn't maintained, but having said that, given the circumstances, and the amount of people who were aware of the situation, it was probably unlikely that that confidentiality was going to be maintained for any real period of time."
Lynch also accepted that secrecy was almost impossible these days with such a case.
"I'm realistic as well … social media … If you get 20 or maybe it was 40 guys that were aware of what happened and the complaint … there was always a chance it would come out.
"And if there's a photo as there is on the front of the papers this morning of something going on and once they hear there is a racial vilification complaint in place maybe they can deduct that it may have been Joel that was involved. Just disappointing, I think, that it comes out though."
Lynch said confidentiality may not have been such an issue in different circumstances.
"I think just maybe the fact that it was his first AFL game … he didn't want to be out there … I don't know if he's real keen on the attention on his family and himself … he's certainly capable of standing in front of the press, but I think he'd rather not do it."
Prendergast said the incident was "hugely disappointing".
"There's just no room whatsoever for racial and religious vilification in society these days, let alone AFL football.
"And particularly given the stance players have taken throughout history to stamp racial vilification out, it's sad to see another incident come to the surface."
Prendergast said Sherman was remorseful and had "done everything in his power to correct the situation, even though that's not possible".
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