Chris Fagan has blasted the Hawthorn racism investigation process as a farce, saying he is vindicated and would welcome the chance to test the bombshell claims in a public court.
The Brisbane Lions coach issued a strongly worded statement within minutes of AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan announcing the independent inquiry into the allegations would end, following an agreement with six of the complainants.
But that only closes one chapter in the matter, with legal action now appearing certain and Hawthorn themselves set to come under AFL investigation for how they handled the initial claims.
After eight months of the inquiry making minimal progress, events moved quickly on Tuesday and the AFL called a snap media conference that evening to announce the end of the investigation.
Fagan, Alastair Clarkson and Jason Burt were cleared of breaching AFL rules during their time at Hawthorn.
Fagan said the leaking of the initial allegations to the media, the AFL investigation and further media leaks were a "travesty of justice".
While Fagan, Clarkson and Burt were not party to the agreement reached by six of the complainants, the AFL and the inquiry panel, the Lions coach said those matters are "fully justified".
"I have always categorically denied all the allegations against me. The allegations are false. I am completely innocent," he said.
"I am happy for any of my conduct and any documents to be aired publicly in a public court or proper public process and let someone impartial decide what is true and what is false.
"I have made no concessions. There are none to make ... I have done nothing wrong."
Fagan added he bore no ill will against the complainants.
"I am conscious this farce of a process cannot have been easy on those First Nations people who were complainants," he said.
"Those whom I knew, I hold no grudges against and hold only a wish that whatever pain they are suffering can be healed over time."
One question now is whether the AFL will take action against Hawthorn over their conduct.
McLachlan said the way Hawthorn handled the process when initial allegations were made put many parties involved in a "hugely vulnerable situation".
Former Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett questioned "on what basis" the Hawks could be charged by the AFL.
Kennett said he has written to the AFL Commission asking them to finalise the process "very quickly", saying he feared it could continue for an additional eight months.
"We did what we had to do," Kennett told 3AW on Wednesday.
"We got a complaint, we set in place a process to hear the stories from our Indigenous people.
"Once we got the report, we realised what was contained in it, we gave it to integrity.
"That is not acting against the interests of the AFL, that's acting in the interest."
Hawthorn president Andrew Gowers held a media conference on Wednesday morning, reiterating that the club welcomed the AFL's decision to end the inquiry.
Asked about the potential for AFL sanctions against Hawthorn, he said there are "a number of discussions" ongoing with the league.
"Of course we'd be extremely disappointed if this matter led to sanctions, including financial, but what I would say is we went into this process with the best of intentions. I don't think anybody is questioning that," he said.
Gowers added the Hawks went "by the book" by referring the report to the AFL integrity unit without speaking to Clarkson, Fagan and Burt first.
"It was also our expectation this would allow all parties to give their versions of events ... the leaking of that work had a significant impact. It did not allow for a fair and just process," he said.
The most serious of the accusations is that an Indigenous player was told to encourage his partner to have an abortion.
The Hawks saga started last year after former Indigenous star Cyril Rioli and his wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli publicly claimed they were treated poorly during their time at the club.
That prompted a Hawthorn review of current and former Indigenous players, which led to the bombshell racism claims being leaked to the media last September.
© AAP 2023