Football great Joel Selwood says it’s no surprise an AFL player has never come out as gay after a controversial ban over Jeremy Finlayson’s homophobic slur.

Geelong great Joel Selwood says it’s no surprise an AFL player has never felt comfortable enough to come out as gay following the controversy over Jeremy Finlayson’s homophobic slur.

Finlayson received a three-game suspension after admitting tagging an anonymous Essendon player with the disgraceful word in the third quarter of the Power’s 69-point victory against the Bombers last Friday night.

As well as missing three matches, Finlayson will have to attend a Pride In Sport training program which he will have to pay for himself.

Unlike most sporting leagues in the world, the AFL is yet to have a player come out as gay, and Selwood is not surprised.

Appearing on Seven’s Talking Footy on Wednesday night, former Cats great and former Richmond captain Trent Cotchin was asked about the situation.

“The conversation was very quick today, well this will mean that an AFL player, if they were gay, won’t come out now because they’re worried about the environment they might find themselves in,” Tim Watson said.

‘You two just came out of the dressing room, is that how you feel about it?’

Cotchin said he was concerned that a player would not feel safe enough to come out as gay in the current environment and Selwood suggested the Finlayson situation could have made things even worse for gay players.

‘I couldn’t speak with more confidence in saying [coming out would be] “It’s good within the football club,” Selwood said.

‘But we’re probably further away now because maybe people will see it differently.

“That individual who may be gay within the landscape of the AFL men’s program is not comfortable with that (since the Finlayson issue).”

Finlayson’s ban has drawn the ire of the AFL Players’ Association, which has pointed out a double standard, and North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson was only fined for a homophobic comment earlier this season.

“We believe the AFL is consistently inconsistent and that there is a double standard in its approach to dealing with players compared to others on behavioral issues,” AFLPA chief Paul Marsh said.

‘This issue highlights the lack of clarity around how the AFL handles these situations and we want this to be the catalyst for an urgent review of the sanctioning framework.

“If this type of conduct is a three-week ban for one player, it should be for everyone involved in the game and this should be made clear to everyone in the industry from the start, rather than the open approach that currently exists.”