Umps ‘wounded’ by Brownlow betting scandal as Gill addresses calls for historic change

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has confirmed the umpire at the centre of the Brownlow betting scandal has been dumped by the league.

But McLachlan has ruled out making any changes to the medal voting process, insisting the serious saga was a result of “human failure”, rather than a worrying issue within the AFL or umpiring department.

Former AFL field umpire Michael Pell was one of four men arrested last month by the Victoria Police Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit after allegedly leaking Brownlow Medal votes on specific matches, which led to suspicious round-by-round betting activity by others on the 2022 count.

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Round 1

Gillon McLachlan receiving the 2022 Brownlow votes from Armaguard. Picture: Michael WillsonSource: Getty Images

The umpires award 3-2-1 votes after each home and away game, with tight security then placed around those details so they can only be revealed on Brownlow night.

Despite the serious nature of the alleged conduct and calls from some commentators for the AFL to remove Brownlow voting rights from umpires, McLachlan said the process wouldn’t change.

“All the suggestions I’ve heard — and it’s not that they’re not worthy — but they wouldn’t have dealt with this issue,” he said.

“In the end, the allegations go to personal integrity of an individual and at some point, right through every system, someone has to make a decision and they have information that, if they’re compromised, can lead to issues like have allegedly occurred here.”

McLachlan said he sympathised with the umpiring group as the allegations had “wounded” them but stressed the integrity of the league’s best-and-fairest award remained intact.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan reads out votes during the 2022 Brownlow Medal. Picture: Daniel PockettSource: Getty Images

“There’s damage caused by that scandal and I think the umpires have been hurting but I don’t think the integrity of the Brownlow is compromised in any way,“ McLachlan said.

“There was not any manipulation of the votes and the winner. It was an issue of personal integrity, allegedly, and we have got to see how that plays out.”

Superstar Carlton captain Patrick Cripps, who won this year’s Brownlow, said he hadn’t been affected by the post-medal saga.