THE AFL’s ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion has been recognised at the annual Australian Pride in Sport Awards, retaining its Gold Status in the Pride in Sport Index.
The awards were presented at the Australian Pride in Sport Awards at Centrepiece in Melbourne Park, celebrating sporting organisations, initiatives and individuals contributing to safe, inclusive environments for LGBTQI+ communities.
This builds on the AFL’s recent achievement of Gold Status in the Pride in Sport Index in 2025, marking the second consecutive time the AFL has received this tier of recognition for its contribution to LGBTQI+ inclusion initiatives.
Guided by the AFL’s LGBTQI+ Action Plan (Pride Plan), the Gold Status has followed steady progress by the league in recent years, after achieving Bronze Status in 2022 and Silver Status in 2023.
The AFL Digital Network was also named as a finalist in the Positive Media Award, recognising its role in supporting inclusive and respectful storytelling across digital platforms.
The finalist placing stemmed from a series of AFL content throughout 2025 which featured LGBTQI+ storytelling from people within the AFLW community. This included:
- Stories of identity through an interview with Hawthorn leader Tilly Lucas-Rodd on their gender affirming top surgery, and a Tagged vodcast interview with bisexual former AFL player Mitch Brown.
- Stories of connection through Essendon's Maddy Prespakis and Fremantle’s Ebony Antonio on navigating life as new parents, former Adelaide and now Gold Coast star Anne Hatchard on healing a rift with her dad, a profile piece on Fremantle AFLW boss Claire Heffernan on the struggles with living away from family.
- Stories of celebration through a video that documented the process behind Darcy Vescio’s design of the Pride Round Ball, an interview with transgender contemporary artist Jay Kulbardi who designed the Western Bulldogs Pride Round jumper, and an interview with American talk show host Rosie O’Donnell.
The Australian Pride in Sport Awards recognise sporting clubs, codes, media outlets, community initiatives and role models for their leadership in creating safe, welcoming and inclusive environments.
As part of its inclusion journey, the AFL was recognised in 2025 receiving two awards, the Most Improved Sporting Organisation Award and LGBTQI+ Inclusive Innovation Award for the Jarah Corporate AFL Queensland Pride Round.
In 2024, the AFL launched its first LGBTQI+ Action Plan, formalising its commitment to fostering a culture of belonging across the organisation and the broader AFL ecosystem, and continues to be a leader and committed to making football an inclusive and welcoming environment for everyone to thrive in.
AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Dillon said:
“I want to thank all who continue to offer their advice and support in making our game safer, more inclusive, and more representative of all our communities,” Dillon said.
“This is important work, and one that we need to continue to work together on to ensure all fans and athletes can authentically be part of our sport, just the way they are.
“I would also like to acknowledge all the winners and organisations recognised last night, as well as The Daily Aus’ coverage with Mitch Brown and the reporting that followed. That coverage was met with overwhelming support from teammates, clubs, and the wider community, and represented a significant step forward for our game.”
AFL Executive General Manager People Sarah Fair said:
“Guided by our Pride Plan, we are committed to fostering a culture of belonging for LGBTQI+ people and everyone involved in our great game, so they can continue to thrive safely and proudly as their authentic selves,” Fair said.
“It is an honour to receive Gold Status for the second consecutive year, recognising the progress we have made in driving cultural change to create a sense of belonging for everyone at the AFL” Fair said.
“We remain committed to leading meaningful change and ensuring the AFL is a safe, inclusive and welcoming place for everyone.”
