AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon has announced that the league will launch its own inquiry into the Sydney Swans scandal once the police investigation has concluded.

He also revealed the five suspended players remain eligible for the Brownlow Medal but will not be invited to attend the ceremony.

Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Riley Bice, Nick Blakey and James Jordon were last week stood down for the remainder of the AFL season after the Sydney Swans found they had breached club standards by staying out late, drinking and bringing women back to the team hotel.

The suspensions are separate from a Victoria Police investigation into an alleged sexual assault at the Pullman East Melbourne Hotel last Monday morning.

The players have denied any wrongdoing, and no charges have been laid.

Dillon broke his silence on the ongoing scandal on Monday at the launch of the finals series, which starts this weekend.

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon has not ruled out further AFL sanctions for the five Sydney Swans players stood down by the club

The five suspended Swans stars, including Isaac Heeney (pictured) remain eligible for the Brownlow Medal

He has not ruled out further AFL sanctions on the suspended players if ‘more information comes to light’.

‘The AFL will not be conducting any inquiries until the police investigation is finished,’ he said.

Dillon was grilled about allegations that drugs were present in the hotel room and whether the players were drug-tested, which Swans officials previously insisted was a police matter.

He was also asked to respond to claims that drug-testing is an AFL matter and not for Victoria Police. 

‘As I said, there is police investigation going on right now,’ Dillon reiterated.

‘Once that is complete we will complete our inquiries, but we will not get involved while a police investigation is taking place.

‘It is a really serious matter, and the AFL cannot get in the way.’

Dillion was pressed on time restraints and whether drug samples had been taken from players in case they were required following the police probe.

‘In any event, a hair sample taken goes back three or four months,’ he said.

Chad Warner also remains eligible for the Brownlow Medal

The Pullman East Melbourne Hotel where the scandal took place 

The Swans now have the week off following an emotion-charged 53 point win against North Melbourne in front of 30,058 fans at the SCG on Sunday. 

It was the club’s lowest home crowd of the season.

Earlier in the afternoon, the Swans AFLW team also won in front of a record crowd of 16,672.

Some fans walked out of the SCG after the women’s game in response to the week-long scandal. 

Dillon hopes the Swans saga does not overshadow the AFL finals series.

‘I have been asked a lot in recent days, what message football should be sending young people and what we should be saying to our kids,’ he said.

‘For me, the answer is straightforward – it doesn’t matter who you are, it doesn’t matter what you do, whether you’re an AFL footballer – the way we treat women says a lot about who we are as people, as a community and as a game.

‘Quite simply, respect for women is not negotiable.

‘It is right for people to be asking questions at the moment, and I think football is a place where everyone should feel safe and included.’

‘We will continue to work with our playing group and our supporters on making sure that we have an environment that’s like that.’

The Swans host the Brisbane Lions in a home qualifying final on September 5 at the SCG