The AFL has introduced a new COVID-19 policy stating all AFL and AFLW players, as well as all staff, will need to be vaccinated before the start of the AFL and AFLW seasons.

In a statement, the league confirmed the new policy was created in partnership with the AFL Players Association (AFLPA) and follows an education program for clubs on the responsibility of the league to address the risk of exposure to COVID-19, and the TGA approved vaccinations.

The vaccination schedule that was introduced as part of the policy will require players and staff to be progressively vaccinated according to a three-stage structure.

The first stage of the structure requires players and staff of Victorian-based clubs to be fully vaccinated by 26 November 2021 in line with the Victorian Government’s recently announced mandates.

The second stage concerns clubs based in New South Wales and requires athletes and staff to be fully vaccinated by 17 December 2021, while the third stage concerns all remaining players and staff from the rest of Australia and requires full vaccination by 18 February 2022.

The AFL also confirmed any players who do not comply with the policy without an approved medical exemption will be subject to the following decisions from their respective club:

• Transfer the Player to the inactive player list (meaning the Player can be replaced) and pay the Player 25% of (for AFLW) their contracted salary or (for AFL) the CBA minimum base salary
• Keep the Player on their playing list (meaning the Player cannot be replaced) and pay the Player not less than 25% of (for AFLW) their contracted salary or (for AFL) 25% of the CBA minimum base salary
• Terminate the Player’s playing contract with the agreement of the Player
• Exercise any rights the Club may have at law to terminate the Player’s playing contract, but such rights are not to be exercised prior to 18 May 2022.

AFL executive general manager of football and general counsel, Andrew Dillon, said: “The health and safety of our players, staff and the wider community has been one of the guiding principles governing the AFL’s ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The AFL has undertaken extensive education programs across the clubs and industry in regard to COVID-19 vaccinations and we will continue to be led by the Government and medical professionals.

“The uptake of AFL industry people being vaccinated has so far been extremely encouraging and we are very pleased the overwhelming majority of our players, coaches, staff members across the AFL and the 18 clubs have at the very least received their first vaccination shot.

“We will continue to work with the AFLPA to provide all players further support and guidance through the evolving situation.

“The football industry has gone above and beyond in the last 18 months to safeguard our people and industry and the community and ensure the competitions have been able to go on.

“The vaccination policy is a continuation of our commitment, ensuring the livelihoods of the thousands of people that work in football, and making sure we can continue to play for the millions of fans across the country in which football means so much.

“Our policy delivers on our commitment to best protect our players, staff and the wider community, so we can once again unite as families, as friends, as work colleagues, as teammates, as supporters, as communities, as one,” he said.