CEO ANDREW Dillon has defended the AFL's decision to engage rapper Snoop Dogg for this year's Grand Final entertainment, following the Izak Rankine suspension for the use of a homophobic slur.

On Thursday, Dillon acknowledged the media attention the Snoop Dogg decision has received given the rapper's past use of misogynistic and offensive lyrics in some of his songs.

The rapper's impending performance at the Grand Final has been in the spotlight this week in the wake of the Rankine investigation, with Snoop Dogg having previously posted homophobic comments online.

After the AFL on Thursday banned Rankine for four matches for the use of a homophobic slur, Dillon said the American's performance on Grand Final day would be family friendly and defended the decision to hire the rap star.

"We cannot vouch for every lyric in every song ever written or performed by any artist who has appeared on our stage — Australian or international," Dillon said.

"What I can say is that our pre-match entertainment on AFL Grand Final day will be family-friendly and consistent with the audience at the MCG and those watching the broadcast.

"It is also important to remember that we engaged Snoop Dogg in 2025 as the person he is today.

"He has spoken publicly about his past, he has changed, and today he is a grandfather, philanthropist, he helps rehabilitate youth and is a global entertainer who has performed at both the Super Bowl and the Olympic Closing Ceremony to audiences of more than 100 million people.

"In those environments his performance was appropriate and well-received, and his performance this year at our Grand Final will be fitting for the best sporting event in the country."

Rankine is the sixth AFL player in the past two seasons to be suspended by the AFL for using a homophobic slur.

"The language used was offensive, hurtful and highly inappropriate. Importantly, this incident called out by players and acknowledged by Izak himself as wrong," Dillon said.

"Inclusion and respect are key priorities for the AFL. They are central to who we are as a game and as an organisation.

"I know people in the LGBTQI+ community are hurting when an incident like this happens.

"One incident is one too many, and the fact there have been multiple player incidents over the last 18 months shows we still have much more work to do."