“Red Card for AFL’s Royal Brunei Deal”, 11 September 2014

In July, AFL Europe announced their largest ever sponsorship deal – a deal with Royal Brunei Airlines…[and] has significant ramifications for AFL’s culture and position…[T]he deal aligns the AFL with the Sultan of Brunei – a leader who is introducing strict new Sharia Laws that impose the death penalty by stoning for homosexual acts and adultery…[T]he deal…clearly didn’t undergo rigorous due diligence…[and it] is not just an embarrassment for AFL Europe, it is also a massive blow to the work that the whole code has done on its culture and position…“AFL Europe…[was] unaware of concerns…about the Brunei government’s adoption…of harsh and discriminatory cultural laws. These laws are counter to everything the AFL stands for in regards to inclusion and diversity.” [said the AFL in a statement]…[However,] it still has not taken steps to dismantle the deal.  This failure to act runs the risk of inflicting further damage to their already fragile culture of inclusion and diversity...