AFL boss Gillon McLachlan is optimistic the former Hawthorn players who raised historical allegations of racism at the club will participate in an independent investigation.
Leading Victorian lawyer Bernard Quinn will head up a four-person panel that is due to report back to the AFL in December with public findings and recommendations relating to serious claims, including those levelled at high-profile coaches Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan.
The investigation will delve into a period at Hawthorn between 2008 and 2016, and will run independently of the AFL.
McLachlan wants the report to be "done by Christmas".
Joining Quinn on the panel will be barristers Jacqualyn Turfrey, Tim Goodwin and Julie Buxton.
Clarkson has delayed his start as North Melbourne coach, and Fagan has taken leave from the Brisbane Lions after harrowing allegations from the pair's time working at Hawthorn surfaced via the ABC in September.
The explosive story said a former Hawthorn player alleged he was told by Clarkson, who was Hawks coach from 2005 to 2021, to terminate his partner's pregnancy.
Both coaches have strenuously denied wrongdoing.
The AFL said on Wednesday it does not know the identities of the players and families who made the claims to the ABC anonymously and through a Hawthorn club review.
Repeated requests to find out the names from their lawyers to assist with the investigation have been knocked back, the AFL says.
McLachlan said he remained uncertain whether the players involved would speak with the newly formed panel.
"We were asked by the complainants to put this together, and it will be their decision and we respect it," he told reporters on Wednesday.
"I'm optimistic they will, but we don't have those guarantees.
"We respect their right to remain confidential. There are some challenges, but we can work through that."
In a speech at Saturday night's club best and fairest function, outgoing Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett said it was "unfair" allegations were made public.
Also named in the ABC investigation was former Hawks player development manager Jason Burt, who took leave from his role at a prestigious Melbourne private school when the report emerged. Burt has also denied the allegations.
Former Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge supported Clarkson and Fagan in a social media post on Saturday, while Brisbane star Lachie Neale backed Fagan after winning the Lions' best and fairest award on Friday night.
In announcing the panel members on Wednesday, the AFL's general counsel Andrew Dillon stressed the need for the investigation to run independently of the league.
"These are very serious allegations, and it is important that we have an independent panel that is able to hear the perspectives of all involved and to provide natural justice to those making the claims and those who have had claims made against them," Dillon said.
"Beyond this immediate investigation, we are open to listening to all the ideas that are being suggested, however importantly for the short-term we need to run a proper independent process on these allegations, and we believe this investigation will help inform whatever we do next as an industry."
