A leading sports betting company has parted ways with the AFL umpire at the centre of the Zak Butters’ tribunal saga.
Sportsbet confirmed on Monday Nick Foot, the grand final umpire who reported Butters during Port Adelaide’s Gather Round loss to St Kilda at the Adelaide Oval for abusive or insulting language towards an umpire, was no longer one of its employees.
Foot had been a horse racing analyst with the bookmaker.
Foot told 7News he was a “proud horse racing and umpiring person and continue to share a passion for both”.
“Playing a small part in the AFL is a privilege and I look forward to continuing to serve the game with professionalism in my role for years to come.”
When asked for comment by this masthead, the AFL referred all questions to Sportsbet.
The AFL had backed Foot as recently as last Monday when league football operations chief Greg Swann was asked about the umpire’s outside employment.
In a headline-grabbing tribunal hearing last month, Foot told the tribunal Butters said, “How much are they (St Kilda) paying you?” after a free kick was awarded to the Saints late in a close game.
Butters denied the comment, as did teammate Ollie Wines, who was called as a witness, but the star midfielder was found guilty by the tribunal, and required to pay a $1500 fine. But the Power took the case to the league’s appeals board, with the case then overturned on a legal technicality.
The appeals board ruled a “miscarriage of justice” due to tribunal member Jason Johnson’s conduct. Johnson, a panel member, had driven to an open house inspection during the hearing, which the board deemed an “error of law”.
Foot has stood in 272 AFL games, including the 2024 grand final.
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Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X or email.
