Powerhouse sports company Nike warns AFL players about illegal studs
It was revealed on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters in June that the AFL had sent a serious warning to players about wearing metal studs or stops.
In that warning, the league reminded players they were liable to a $40,000 sanction should they be caught in metal or illegal stops.
Not long after in July, Adelaide was slapped with a $7500 fine after Ben Keays and Josh Rachele repeatedly ignored the league's warnings.
Along with the club financial sanction, Keays copped a $5000 fine, while Rachele's sanction was $2500.
Now Nike has made it clear that the players are totally responsible for their own footwear, and has also issued a statement
'Please note: When ordering Nike SC plated (metal stop) boots, a player acknowledges that they are selecting a model equipped with screw-in metal studs,' the statement said.
'If the player intends to wear these boots in an AFL match, the metal studs must be replaced with compliant plastic studs.'
Questions are still being asked of the AFL, however.
'We broke the story about the AFL warning (to players),' veteran AFL journalist Caroline Wilson said on Channel 7's The Agenda Setters on Tuesday night.
'What has happened in my absence, is the AFL have finally admitted that the biggest club at fault was Adelaide. Ben Keays was fined $5000. He ignored four warnings. He wore metal-studded boots for five weeks.
'They said (fines were) up to $40,000 .... Josh Rachele, he was fined two-and-a-half grand. He only wore them two more times.
'And Nike, we've now found, has sent a memo to all of their players, warning them (about the boots) and absolutely taking away any responsibility from themselves, and saying, 'If you buy our boots, you better make sure you remove the metal studs'.'
Wilson also wondered why GWS captain Toby Greene wasn't fined for wearing the illegal footwear.
Greene actually admitted to wearing metal studs while he was on air as a guest commentator during a Channel 7 game.
'Why was Toby Greene not fined after admitting, as we found out, that he had worn boots with metal studs?' Wilson said on The Agenda Setters.
'The AFL said, look, he only did it once. He was given the rounds of the kitchen by Jason McCartney, his head of footy.
'But hopefully boot-gate is well and truly over.'
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