The Australian Football League (AFL) published a statement informing about the dissemination without consent of sexual content of 45 of its players and former players. There is still no complaint filed with the police, but the league has already launched an investigation.
The photographs and videos were leaked on Wednesday in a Google Drive file that was deleted this Thursday. It is not yet known who is behind the post, although Australian police told Daily Mail Australia that it was most likely an extortion attempt.
The popular Australian rules football league (a team sport more similar to rugby union than football) stressed that "many of the images have not yet been verified." In addition, according to Australian media reports, none of the players involved has been identified.
For the league, the reasons for the leak are still not clear. "The AFL has no information as to why personal images have been disseminated illegally and without consent or what is the reason for doing so," the league statement said.
"The images have been posted by an anonymous person or persons and are purported to be the personal and private files of current and former AFL players, however it is important to clarify that many of the images have not yet been verified," the statement continued.
Finally, the league requests discretion and respect for those involved in the leak. "While the AFL understands that there may be a great deal of interest in this matter, they wish to remind you that the images have been shared illegally and without consent. The AFL asks that you please respect the rights and privacy of current and former players whose images have been shared. been shared without your consent or approval."
AFL Players Association Chief Executive Paul Marsh told Australian public broadcaster ABC on Thursday that he is concerned about the "enormous invasion of privacy" by these players and former players.
"I don't know how, if players have been hacked or if players have shared images with trusted people who have somehow ended up in this situation," Marsh said, calling the distribution of the images "a heinous and disgusting act." and a likely illegal violation of privacy," Marsh said.
Daily Mirror Australia learned that the South Australia Police are already conducting an investigation into the matter after a complaint filed by the Adelaide Crows, one of the Australian Football League teams.
