Swans coach, captain to front media amid unfolding scandal

Swans coach Dean Cox, captain Callum Mills to address media amid unfolding scandal In short: The coaches and captains for the Sydney Swans' AFL and AFLW sides will front the media on Friday after a turbulent week for the club amid an unfolding scandal. Sponsors have paused their dealings with the players linked to the scandal, which has attracted comment from public figures including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. What's next? Police are continuing their investigation of a reported alleged sexual assault, which the ABC understands centres on a player allegedly touching a woman without her consent at a Melbourne hotel on Monday morning. Sydney Swans senior coach Dean Cox and captain Callum Mills will front the media this morning as the team prepares to continue with its AFL season in the wake of a scandal that has included an allegation of sexual assault. The pair will speak at 10:30am outside Swans HQ in Moore Park, while the club's AFLW senior coach, Colin O'Riordan, and captain, Lucy McEvoy, will do the same later in the day. The two sides are being given equal billing on Sunday in an SCG double-header, with the women set to take on Essendon in the AFLW's round 2 before the men's side finishes its regular season with a clash against North Melbourne. However, the focus of the press conferences will almost certainly be on the scandal engulfing the club, which has seen major sponsors suspend dealings with key players and attracted commentary from public figures including Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Governor-General Sam Mostyn. The scandal began with a report of sexual assault, currently being investigated by police, but has broadened to include allegations of drug taking by some players. The ABC understands the sexual assault allegation centres on one player allegedly touching a woman without her consent at a Melbourne hotel early on Monday morning. Several female adult entertainers are understood to have joined players at the Pullman East Melbourne hotel after being hired in the hours after the team's win against Essendon on Sunday night. The ABC's Danny Tran and Olivia Jenkins reported on Thursday evening that detectives investigating the alleged assault had been told some players paid the women extra to consume drugs off their bodies. It is understood one of the woman was later seen leaving the hotel room in a distressed state, with a Triple Zero (000) call made to police soon after. Five Swans players — vice-captain Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, James Jordon, Riley Bice and Nick Blakey — were suspended for the rest of the season on Wednesday, though the club was careful to note that the suspensions were for failing to meet club standards, and were not directly related to the allegation being investigated by police. It is not suggested that any of these players are being accused of sexual assault, and no-one has been arrested or charged in relation to the alleged incident. Nor is it known how many or which players are alleged to have participated in drug-taking. PM weighs in as sponsors flee Speaking to the ABC's 7.30 on Thursday evening, Mr Albanese criticised the Swans' initial response to the scandal, during which CEO Matthew Pavlich said he was "shocked and disappointed that this has taken place and that the players have found themselves in this situation". Mr Albanese called the response "completely unacceptable", adding that the AFL and the Swans should "have a good look" at their culture. It capped off a day in which a number of major sponsors confirmed to the ABC that they had paused their dealings with the suspended players, including Colgate, Volkswagen and Telstra. Publisher Allen & Unwin said it had paused its publication of the third book in Isaac Heeney's Little Isaac Footy Fever series, which was due to hit shelves in November, while retailers Gleebooks, Readings and Big W said they had removed Heeney's books from their stores across Australia. Heeney's name and image were also removed from promotional materials for 5th Quarter Camps, a company he co-owns alongside Greater Western Sydney captain Toby Greene. The players who will be on the field on Sunday have sought to present a united front, standing shoulder-to-shoulder during a training session on Wednesday as a photographer snapped away. However, journalists with links to the club have reported there is a high level of resentment among the ranks over the actions of their teammates, and AFLW sources have told the ABC that feeling is echoed in the women's program. The ABC understands media will be barred from filming the captain's runs in the lead-up to the game. Women involved say they fear retribution Two of the women involved in the incident spoke to the media on Thursday, including the woman who alleges she was sexually assaulted. The woman, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, reportedly told Melbourne's Herald Sun newspaper that she was not interested in money, only justice. "I'm going to stand up for what is right. And I'm never going to let this happen to anyone else," the paper quoted her as saying. She also alleged the players, who she did not recognise, had said they were carpenters rather than footballers, leading the women to charge a lower rate, according to the paper. A different woman, who took the booking from the players, told Seven News she and the woman at the centre of the allegation now feared public retribution after being identified online. "I'm so scared … this is so dangerous for our safety," she reportedly said. The ABC has confirmed the business contacted by Seven was the business through which the adult entertainers were booked, but has chosen not to publicise its name. [Image text:] pullmon QBE INSURAN 3E 'AFD QBE Insurance