The AFL will outsource an investigation into harrowing Hawthorn racism claims which casts doubt on the tenures of two senior coaches.
Freshly appointed North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson will delay starting work at his new club while Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has taken leave.
The futures of both coaches hinge on the findings of an independent investigation into racism claims described as "sickening" by the federal government.
Clarkson and Fagan have both promised to cooperate with an independent probe after being named in reports detailing racism at Hawthorn.
Clarkson was due to begin at North on November 1 but "will delay the start of his tenure to allow time to fully participate" in the investigation, the Kangaroos said in a statement.
Brisbane and Fagan "mutually agreed" for the coach to take a leave of absence during the investigation, a Lions statement said.
The AFL said both coaches would be afforded "natural justice" by an independent panel to be created within 24 hours to examine the explosive racism claims.
One former Hawthorn player alleged he was told by Clarkson to terminate his partner's pregnancy, the ABC reported.
The player said a group of coaches including Clarkson and Fagan also urged him to break up with his partner, the ABC said.
Four-time premiership coach Clarkson was at Hawthorn between 2005 and 2021.
Fagan was a senior assistant coach to Clarkson and general manager of football at the Hawks from 2008 to 2016 before being appointed Brisbane coach in 2017.
Hawthorn earlier this year commissioned an external review into claims of racism, which was delivered to the AFL a fortnight ago.
Clarkson and Fagan were not interviewed but Hawthorn's chief executive Justin Reeves said the club must face its past.
"It's heartbreaking, these allegations are extremely disturbing," Reeves told reporters.
"Australia has a culture problem historically ... like so many institutions we have to face our history and our past."
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said an independent four-person panel headed by a King's Counsel would investigate.
"These are serious allegations," McLachlan told reporters.
"We need to run a proper investigation to get to the bottom of it ... out of respect to those making the allegations and out of respect to those being accused."
AFL Players' Association chief executive Paul Marsh said he was "extremely concerned" by the ABC report, published on Wednesday.
One couple was pressured to terminate a pregnancy for the sake of his football career, the ABC reported.
"Clarkson just leaned over me and demanded that I needed to get rid of my unborn child and my partner," the unnamed player told the ABC.
"I was then manipulated and convinced to remove my SIM card from my phone so there was no further contact between my family and me."
The player's partner did not go through with a termination and told the ABC only at the five-month mark of the pregnancy was the player allowed by the club to return to his family.
Former Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge, who played at the club from 2002-17, said the claims were "shocking, terrible".
And federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Linda Burney said "the report was nothing short of sickening, quite frankly".
"It is inconceivable in this day and age, the sort of treatment and the allegations that have been made by the players involved," she told the ABC.
"The allegations that have been made against Hawthorn are just horrendous."
© AAP 2022