An AFL umpire says he is ‘sorry’ and ‘never intended to offend anyone’ after being banned for dressing up as Osama bin Laden at an end-of-season function.
Leigh Haussen, who has umpired 147 AFL games since 2017, admits he ‘made an error of judgement’ after dressing as the terrorist leader at a function held in the private room of a Melbourne restaurant.
The AFL are believed to have been tipped off after Haussen wore the controversial costume at an event which hadthe theme ‘characters from the 2000s’.
Haussen is said to have put the costume on at the event and briefly wore a mask before removing it.
He admitted to wearing the outfit when approached by the AFL and has now been banned from officiating the opening round of the 2025 season.
Haussen, who has also been told to complete educational work, said in a short statement: ‘I am sorry. I made an error of judgement. I never intended to offend anyone.’
The AFL said the decision to wear the costume was ‘inappropriate, offensive and in poor taste’.
AFL Head of Umpiring Stephen McBurney added: ‘Leigh understands the inappropriate nature of his costume.
‘He has reflected on that choice. Leigh is a valued member of the umpiring group with an unblemished record both throughout his umpiring career and since his elevation to the AFL umpires list in 2017.
‘We will support Leigh to make his return to umpiring AFL football following this suspension.’
Bin Laden was the founder of al-Qaeda, the militant Islamist terrorist group responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Centre in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, DC.
On 2 May 2011, Bin Laden was killed by U.S. special operations forces at his compound in Abbottabad following what was described as the ‘biggest manhunt in history’.
The suspension comes after another AFL scandal in which six Greater Western Sydney Giants players were handed bans and seven were fined over controversial costumes worn at the club’s end-of-season function.
Star players Toby McMullin and Cooper Hamilton were suspended for two games after dressing as the twin towers and simulating the September 11 terrorist attacks.
Connor Idun and Lachie Whitfield, meanwhile, were fined $5000 after re-enacting a scene from the movie Django Unchained, which follows a slave attempting to reunite with his wife in 19th century America.
Giants captain Toby Greene subsequently apologised on behalf of the squad and promised the ’embarrassing’ incident would ‘never happen again’.
‘Firstly, I would like to apologise for the events that occurred,’ he said in a statement.
‘As a leader of the club and captain of the team, I am embarrassed that we are in this situation and that I failed to uphold my responsibilities as a leader to prevent it.
‘I am disappointed I did not adequately process the situation, and intervene, in the moment.
‘Some of the costumes and skits that took place are unbecoming and contrary to the values of our club and standards we expect of the playing group.
‘I understand that as leaders we need to learn from this situation and ensure it never happens again.’
.
.