Overview

• Former West Coast defender Mitch Brown told The Daily Aus, "I played in the AFL for 10 years for the West Coast Eagles, and I'm a bisexual man."
• Coverage notes that no male player in the competition’s 129-year history had previously come out as gay or bisexual.
• Brown described a hyper-masculine environment and says hiding his sexuality was a major factor in retiring at 28.
• The announcement follows a series of homophobia cases, including Adelaide’s Izak Rankine receiving a four‑match ban, the sixth such suspension in roughly 16 months.
• West Coast praised Brown as courageous and advocacy groups welcomed the step, as he urges the AFL to pair penalties with celebrating positive LGBTQIA+ role models.