Former St Kilda star Stephen Milne has been sensationally pulled from participating in next month’s AFL Legends Game following public and online backlash due to his sexual assault history.
Milne was charged with multiple rape charges in 2014 after he indecently assaulted a 19-year-old woman in a case of deception.
The highly publicised court case eventually saw three rape charges withdrawn against Milne in return for a guilty plea to indecently assaulting the woman in a darkened room with former teammate Leigh Montagna and another woman nearby. He was fined $1500 and had no conviction recorded.
Milne was last Thursday announced as playing in the Four’N Twenty Legends Game at Marvel Stadium which sees “past greats and fan favourites of the game” come together in a clash to raise funds to support prostate cancer.
Milne was to join Dustin Martin, Campbell Brown, Dyson Heppell, James Harmes, Daisy Thomas, Jude Bolton, team captain Brendan Fevola and coach Joel Selwood to make up “Team Victoria”.
But there was swift public backlash at Milne’s inclusion given his sexual assault history.
On Monday a statement was released via Legend’s Game partner SEN to say a mutual decision between the game’s partners had resulted in Milne being pulled from participating.
The statement added the focus was to instead remain firmly on the “positive impact” the fundraiser game has on the community.
“By mutual agreement, we can confirm that Stephen Milne will not participate in the 2026 Four’N Twenty Legends Game for Prostate Cancer,” the statement read.
“The Legends Game is an important opportunity to raise funds supporting vital prostate cancer care and research at the Australian Prostate Centre, and all parties agree the focus should remain firmly on that cause and the positive impact it has on the community.
“We are committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for everyone who participates in and attends our events, and want the focus of the day to be on football, fundraising and community impact.”
Milne returned to the field last year to play for the Big V, also taking part in a special halftime goal kicking shootout against past legends Peter Daicos and Steve Johnson.
Australian Femicide Watch was quick to criticise Milne’s inclusion saying they had reached out to the AFL, advertisers an sponsors calling for him to be dropped.
“He should never have been platformed to play in the first place,” Australia Femicide Watch spokesperson Sherele Moody told the Herald Sun on Monday.
“It should have been a non starter from the get go. A big part of the problem are the decision-makers thinking it’s appropriate to platform someone like him. But to get them to listen is to hit them where it hurts financially.
“People keep excusing the bad and abhorrent behaviour of men, most often when they are famous, but you can’t end male violence by platforming violent men.”