FORMER St Kilda player Nicky Winmar has been removed from the Australian Football Hall of Fame after he was convicted of assault.
St Kilda has also suspended Winmar's place in the club's Hall of Fame, pending a possible appeal.
STATEMENT Nicky Winmar removed from the Australian Football Hall of Fame
Earlier this month, a Bendigo court found Winmar guilty of smashing a woman's head against a door during a petrifying attack in 2025.
Winmar, 60, argued the woman lied about the incident but Bendigo Magistrate Trieu Huynh found she was being truthful and convicted him of three charges.
After a meeting of the AFL Commission this week, it has been decided that Winmar - who was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2022 - will have his Hall of Fame status removed.
"The Australian Football Hall of Fame exists to recognise the highest achievements in our game and admission to it is one of the greatest honours Australian football can bestow," AFL Chair Craig Drummond says.
"The Commission has a responsibility to protect the integrity and reputation of that honour.
"Violence against women has no place. Not in our community, not in our game, and not in the values the Australian Football Hall of Fame seeks to uphold.
"The Commission acknowledges Nicky Winmar's significant contribution to Australian Football and his place in our history. However, the recent findings against him render inappropriate his place in the Australian Football Hall of Fame."
In the AFL statement, the League said: "Under amendments to the Australian Football Hall of Fame Charter adopted in 2023, the AFL Commission can remove an inductee if they have been charged with or found guilty of an indictable offence and/or if the inductee engages in conduct which the Commission considers is prejudicial to the interests of the AFL or is conduct which brings the AFL, the inductee, or Australian Football into disrepute".
In a statement, St Kilda said Winmar has been suspended from its Hall of Fame, with a call on his ongoing place in the Hall of Fame to be made in due course.
"The St Kilda Football Club Board has today resolved to suspend Nicky Winmar from the club's Hall of Fame," the club said.
"This decision follows Winmar being found guilty of three counts of unlawful and common assault in the Bendigo Magistrates' Court earlier this month.
"A determination regarding Winmar's ongoing place in the Hall of Fame will be made following the formal conclusion of the full legal process, including the completion of any appeal.
"Violence against women has no place in our community. Our thoughts are with anyone impacted by this matter."
In 2023, the AFL stripped Barry Cable of his place in the Hall of Fame after a Perth court found that he had repeatedly sexually abused a girl at the height of his playing career.
Earlier this month, West Australian Premier Roger Cook directed VenuesWest to remove a statue of Winmar from Perth's Optus Stadium.
More to come ...
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au. If you, a child, or another person is in immediate danger, call 000.