AFL boss Andrew Dillon has spoken publicly about the Sydney Swans’ sexual assault allegations for the first time, amid reports a recording is circulating of the alleged incidents in a Melbourne hotel room is circulating.

Dillon started his speech at Monday’s launch of the finals series in Melbourne with a strongly-worded statement, denying the league has a culture problem while saying respect for women is not negotiable.

“I have been asked a lot in recent days, what message football should be sending young people and what we should be saying to our kids,” he said of the league’s biggest crisis under his watch.

“For me, the answer is straightforward – it doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter what you do, whether you’re an AFL footballer – the way we treat women says a lot about who we are as people, as a community and as a game.

“Quite simply, respect for women is not negotiable.”

Dillon said everyone involved in the game had an extraordinary platform and a responsibility to set the right example.

The Swans have suspended Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice for the rest of the season for breaching club standards.

The penalties were endorsed by the AFL before being handed out last week.

Dillon said on Monday the five suspended Sydney players will not be invited to the AFL’s Brownlow medal function in the week before the September 26 grand final. But they remain eligible for the game’s most coveted individual award.

A police investigation into sexual assault allegations, related to what allegedly took place in a room at East Melbourne’s Pullman Hotel early last Monday morning, continues.

“The actions of five players have fallen well short of the standards our game expects and community deserves,” Dillon said of the club-imposed bans.

“While there are players involved, we cannot lose sight of the bigger picture. More importantly, there are women who have made a report to police and they should be shown care and respect.

“There are also families, staff, supporters, teammates and members of the wider community who have been affected.

“This includes women who play, work and lead across our AFL and AFLW competitions and throughout our game.”

In recent days, reports have circulated about a recording from the Pullman Hotel room, allegedly concerning the women involved in the incident. There are claims it has been given to the Swans, and then passed in turn to the police.

Dillon said he was unaware of any tape, or what its contents might be.

“If there is a tape that’s relevant to the police investigation it should be forwarded on to the police,” he said.

Dillon again reiterated that the conversation should not be about the effect of the bans on Sydney’s finals chances. The Swans finished the season second, beating North Melbourne at the SCG on Sunday in an emotion-charged match.

“Our focus is not on the impact of last week on a club’s finals prospects. It’s on whether our actions reflect the values and expectations of our community,” Dillon said.

“The actions taken last week by the Swans and the AFL demonstrate how seriously this matter has been treated.

“Upholding these standards matter, because football holds a unique place in Australian life.

“It brings communities and it has the power to influence how people think, act and treat one another, and to bring out the very best in each other.”

Dillon reiterated the AFL will conduct its own inquiries once the police investigation is complete. He refused to comment on whether that investigation will involve drug tests and would not speculate on possible further sanctions for players.

“We don’t know where that [police investigation] will go,” he said.

“When that’s completed, that’s when the AFL will make its enquiries.

“What is clear is the Swans have taken action with the support of the AFL based on the information that is at hand now, and there’s been accountability for those players that were involved last week.”

Dillon denied the AFL had a culture problem.

“The actions of a few don’t take away from the thousands of people involved in football at all different levels who do great things all the time,” he said.

“But what we do know is we can do things better and we’ll continue to do that, and we’ll continue to learn.”

-with AAP