In a statement released to Channel 9s The Footy Show, Dane Swan has denounced the illegal upload of an explicit video to the internet as a “gross breach” of his privacy.
The video, which features Swan and an unnamed woman, has reportedly been on social media for the past three days and even offered to The Herald Sun for a price. The Herald Sun declined the offer.
Swan made the statement following Perth’s 6PR radio station naming him as the former AFL player featured in the video earlier this morning.
The former Collingwood player, who retired in 2016 after playing 258 games, confirmed the video is not a ‘sex tape’ as originally reported by sections of the media. Swan has also reported the matter to the Victorian Police for an official investigation.
The statement reads:
“I have recently become aware of a video of me being published and circulated on the internet. Contrary to some media reports, the video is not a ‘sex tape’. Although the video was taken a long time ago, it has been posted and distributed only recently. It was taken and distributed without my consent. The distribution is a gross breach of my privacy. As it is illegal to distribute such material online without consent, I have reported the matter to the police who are investigating the distribution. As the matter is under investigation I have no further comment at this time and I ask that my privacy be respected.”
Swan’s manager Liam Pickering also criticised some of the media for ridiculing Swan and not treating the matter as seriously as they should be.
In a statement read by The Footy Show, Pickering said,
“In other similar incidents often with a female victim the media has been keen to protect the victim’s identity. Although Dane understands he is a public figure, he is a victim in this case and no less deserving of that protection. There is a double standard where the media feels free to name him and engage in a feeding frenzy of commentary and speculation about the circumstances, rather than allow him the privacy that any victim in such circumstances is entitled to have. The media do not know the circumstances and we will take action against anyone who speculates unfairly about them.”
You can watch The Footy Show’s reading of the statements below.
Under Victorian law, adults who share images or video without the other party’s consent can face a prison term of up to two years. 9News reports that the Criminal Investigation Unit is now handling the probe into the tape’s release.
“It was taken and distributed without my consent. The distribution is a gross breach of my privacy.” – Dane Swan #9AFLFootyShow pic.twitter.com/K2igko2ByF
— Footy on Nine (@FootyonNine) May 3, 2018
