Collingwood President Eddie McGuire is under fire after talking live on Triple M from the MCG’s “Big Freeze” event last Monday, along with North Melbourne chair James Brayshaw and Wayne Carey joking about taking bets to get football journalist Caroline Wilson to take part in the event.
The Big Freeze has celebrities slide into a pool of ice-cold water to raise funds for motor neurone disease.
However, Eddie went on to say “He’ll throw in $50 thousand if she stays under”.
“In fact I reckon we should start the campaign for a one-person slide next year. Caroline Wilson. And I’ll put in 10 grand straight away – make it 20. And if she stays under, 50.”
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan issued a release regarding the remarks saying “although seeking to be lighthearted … could be seen to be supporting violent attitudes”.
Eddie has apologised on his Triple M breakfast show saying “Anything that is seen to promulgate or to support – even in a light hearted manner – any form of domestic violence is unacceptable”.
He went on to explain the conversation at the time was “just tomfoolery”.
Caroline Wilson (left) told 3AW “I don’t accept that it was playful banter, I’ve gotta’ say”.
“It’s such a pity that they needed to fault to that really vicious language,” she said.
You can take a listen to the remarks and apology here.
Meantime James Brayshaw has apologies for his part in the coversation this afternoon on Triple M’s Rush Hour.