The AFL Integrity Unit is investigating how a lewd image appeared on Carlton president Luke Sayers’ social media account on January 8, leaving Sayers with four options when he returns from overseas at the end of the month.
None of those options involves hoping the issue will disappear as the offending post did soon after it appeared on Sayers’ now-deleted social media account.
Carlton president Luke Sayers.Credit: Elke Meitzel
People at Carlton, the AFL and club sponsor Bupa – which employs the woman whose social media handle was included in the post – know that.
The controversy has caused distress to people unwittingly connected to it, and Bupa’s primary concern has been the wellbeing of their employee.
The Carlton sponsorship remains in place and there is no suggestion that it is in jeopardy, but the Blues and the company have been having ongoing discussions since the offending image was posted about what the response should be.
No one at the AFL, Carlton or Bupa has been willing to comment publicly, given the sensitivity of the issue, and attempts to contact Sayers were directed to his personal assistant. But according to industry figures familiar with the situation Sayers has the following options once he returns to Australia.
He can support the results of the AFL integrity investigation being made public. An industry source with knowledge of the situation, speaking anonymously because of the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed on Friday the inquiry has been underway since the Blues referred the matter to them soon after the post appeared.
Making the outcome public would help to protect other high-profile figures in business and sport who could be vulnerable to such an attack made with malicious intent. In the era of deep fakes, manipulation of images and cybercrime, such an investigation would serve a broad purpose. It would also be consistent with the president’s emotional declaration he would leave no stone unturned in finding the culprit after he said he had been hacked.
One possibility is that a crime has been committed against him.
If Sayers does not want the results of an investigation made public he could explain the situation to the club’s board. The board could then outline their response to members and sponsors, and why, in their view, the club president – who is departing at the end of 2025 – remains the best person to lead and represent the club during this season.
The third option would be for Sayers to stand aside immediately to minimise the distraction to the club and protect other people and organisations in his orbit.
Given the work he has done to get the club on track on field, that might be a huge disappointment to him, but it would also allow others to move forward without this issue hovering over the Blues in 2025.
Alternatively, the club and AFL could try to ride the drama out as a personal and legal matter for Sayers, irrelevant to his position as club president. Given he is leaving at the end of the season a handover plan could be put in place, in the hope the caravan moves on.
That’s possible but a tough road to walk with the club needing to minimise distractions in their quest for their first flag in 30 years.
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