Banned Crows star Izak Rankine says he is “in no way a victim” after he arrived back in Australia from Rome to face a media storm.

“I want to start by saying how sorry I am for what I said. There was no excuse. It was wrong, and I take full responsibility,” he said at Adelaide Airport.

“I’m disappointed in myself, and I know I’ve let a lot of people down.

“I want to apologise to anyone I’ve hurt, and to my family. I understand that the word I used is offensive, harmful, it’s hurtful, and it has no place in our game or our society.

Rankine - who looked visibly distressed as he read the prepared statement after flying in from Italy where he had spent more than week to avoid media scrutiny - made clear he wanted no sympathy.

“I am in no way a victim, but stepping away has given me the space to reflect and educate myself to understand the weight of my mistake. I am fully committed to bettering myself,” he said.

“In the next few days, I will be standing in front of my teammates and the AFLW (Crows team) and apologising to them personally, as they deserve that at the very least.

“From here, all I can do is put my head down, work hard, and support my teammates in the best way I can and show through my actions that I am growing and learning from my mistake.

“More than anything, I want this club to succeed. I’ve been doing everything I can to regain everyone’s trust and have a positive impact on society and my supporters.”

Rankine, cutting a forlorn figure, then finished the minute-long press conference with a quiet “thank you” and walked off without taking any questions.

The 25-year-old, who was chosen in the All-Australian squad but not the final team last week, was banned for four games after making a homophobic slur towards a Collingwood player in the penultimate round of the AFL.

Adelaide teammate Tex Walker, who was embroiled in his own racism saga in 2021, said before Rankine flew in on Tuesday the ordeal would make the young star a better person.

“He’s going to be able to learn about how powerful words can be, not just the individual but the community,” he told 7News.

“Until we are in a box or six feet under we are always going to learn.”

Several commentators lashed the AFL and league chief executive Andrew Dillon for backing away from a proposed five-match ban, after hearing “compelling medical submissions” that included the impact on Rankine’s mental health.

On the day his ban was announced last month, a day out from the start of the final round, Rankine said he was “committed to educating myself and being better”

The ban was confirmed after a drawn-out process during which the Crows argued that finals games counted for more after the AFL proposed a five-game penalty.

It means the Crows need to lose their home qualifying final against Collingwood on Thursday night, then win a semifinal and preliminary final for Rankine to be available for the grand final.

In accepting his penalty, Rankine did apologise last month via a statement.

“I regret using the word and I am very sorry for doing so, and that type of language has no place in football or the community,” Rankine said.

“It was a mistake and I have apologised to the Collingwood player, and what happened does not reflect my values or those of the club.

“I’m committed to educating myself and being better.”

In what amounted to a plea deal the ban came nearly two days after the AFL proposed a five-match ban in line with other recent penalties.

But the Crows were given extra time to form a response and cited the impending grand final performance of US rapper Snoop Dogg, pitching it as hypocrisy given his history of homophobic remarks.

Rankine, who called his Magpie opponent a “f****t” didn’t leave his home for days after being interviewed by the AFL’s integrity department, with a full week of focus on his actions.

The AFL said Rankine “rang the Collingwood player to personally apologise and he fully co-operated with the subsequent investigation”, which impacted its decision.

The league also said the “compelling medical submissions” made by Rankine played a role in the size of the suspension being smaller than other offenders.

AFL chief executive Dillon described Rankine’s behaviour as unacceptable, while attempting to defend the league’s decision to ban Rankine for four games.

“It was a compelling medical submission but I will not go into the detail,” Dillon said last month.

“It is a significant sanction. We had an investigation ... it is behaviour that is not acceptable. Izak Rankine has admitted that, Adelaide Crows have made a statement on that, that’s what’s important.”

The AFL said the slur was simply unacceptable in the modern game.

“The language used was offensive, hurtful and highly inappropriate. Our players have a very clear understanding of what is acceptable on the football field. Importantly, in this instance it was called out by players and acknowledged by Izak himself as wrong – and that reflects the standards we expect and demand in our game,” AFL general counsel Stephen Meade said when the ban was revealed.

“Izak has said he knew it was not acceptable. Adelaide have said they know it is not acceptable. In an AFL environment, this behaviour is not acceptable. Homophobia has no place in football. The suspension is significant, but stamping out vilification in our game is incredibly important. Everyone in football understands the rules, and there are consequences of breaching them.

“We recognise this is a challenging time for the players and clubs involved, and appropriate support has been offered. But our responsibility is also to every player, official and fan who deserves respect when they come to our game. In 2025, the players know this more than anyone.

Crows chief executive Tim Silvers, when the ban was announced, expressed nervousness for Rankine’s mental health.

Rankine was the sixth AFL-listed player banned for an on-field homophobic comment in the past 16 months.

In July, West Coast’s Jack Graham was banned four games for for an homophobic remark to a GWS player after reporting himself to the AFL.

In April last year, Port Adelaide’s Jeremy Finlayson was suspended for three games and, the following month, Gold Coast’s Wil Powell was suspended five matches, both for making homophobic slurs to opponents.

Two VFL players - Sydney’s Riak Andrew (five games) and St Kilda’s Lance Collard (six matches) have also recently been banned for on-field homophobic comments.

With Newswire