The decision by the AFL Victoria appeals board to uphold Darley’s appeal and find Kur not guilty has produced widespread reaction on social media.

There has been a wave of criticism levelled at AFL Victoria for finding Kur not guilty.

Many Facebook users questioned why AFL Victoria had not been transparent in its findings.

Watch the incident here.

The Courier reached out to AFL Victoria to try and get an explanation of how the decision was reached.

The Courier asked for an insight into the appeal process and how the board came to its final decision.

AFL Victoria provided this response in full:

“The AFL Victoria Country Appeals Board provides an opportunity for matters to be presented in a new hearing, and makes its decision based on the evidence presented by both parties.

“As such, based on the evidence presented to the Appeals Board, the Appeals Board decided to uphold the appeal.”

EARLIER: AFL Victoria country’s appeal board has upheld an appeal by Darley ruckman Abe Kur against a kneeing charge and two-match suspension.

The board cleared Kur of the charge which arose after a Ballarat Football League investigation into a post-match on-field incident at Darley Park on Saturday, June 30.

With the suspension negated, Kur is no longer facing deregistration by AFL Victoria.

The sentence had meant he had been suspended for a total of at least 16 matches since attaining the age of 16 years - the number of games at which under AFL Victoria rules a player “shall be automatically deregistered and not allowed further registration with the same or another club or league”.

Darley acting president Mark Shelly said Kur was extremely relieved with the outcome.

He said Kur had been shattered by the suspension and the probability he would no longer be able to play football.

Darley and Kur appealed successfully against the guilty finding and the severity of the suspension he received on the charge of unbecoming conduct in that he intentionally kneed a spectator.

Shelly said the life ban had not been the driving force behind the club’s decision to appeal.

He said Darley took the stand on the grounds it believed Kurr was not guilty of the charge.

Kur is now available to line up against Lake Wendouree at Wendouree on Saturday after being ruled ineligible to play in Darley’s win over Bacchus Marsh at the weekend.

Shelly said the board had advised that because Kur had served one match of the now cancelled suspension, he now had a “one-match credit”.

High profile football advocate Iain Findlay represented Darley and Kur at the hearing at AFL Victoria’s headquarters in Carlton.