The Australian Football League said that "it is reassessing a lucrative sponsorship deal with
Royal Brunei Airlines amid international condemnation of Brunei's new
anti-gay laws," according to Nick Toscano of THE AGE. AFL Europe -- the governance body for the sport across Europe -- had previously promoted a year-long deal with the state-owned airline
as its "biggest-ever sponsorship" agreement. The AFL, which has pledged to stamp out homophobia in its
ranks, "made an embarrassing admission on Wednesday that it was unaware
of Brunei's adoption of laws introducing harsh penalties for a range of
behaviour, including homosexual acts." It "is now reconsidering the deal between its European affiliate and the airline. The AFL said in a statement, "AFL Europe entered into the sponsorship agreement with Royal
Brunei Airlines in good faith, unaware of concerns outside the sporting
arena about the Brunei government's adoption in April this year of
harsh and discriminatory cultural laws. These laws are counter to everything the AFL stands for in regards to inclusion and diversity" (THE AGE, 9/10).
