The AFL is ramping up penalties for homophobic slurs in an attempt to expel anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment from the game, after suspending Gold Coast defender Wil Powell for five weeks.

The sanction comes a month after Port Adelaide forward Jeremy Finlayson was banned for three matches for making a homophobic comment.

The AFL said Powell used a “highly offensive homophobic slur” against a Brisbane opponent in Sunday’s match, won by the Lions, which “demeans and denigrates any person regardless of their sexuality”.

AFL general counsel Stephen Meade said the league acknowledged Powell’s “remorse and cooperation” but there were no excuses, especially so soon after Finlayson’s comment during Gather Round.

“It is extremely disappointing to be dealing with a similar incident in only a matter of weeks,” Meade said. “We foreshadowed both publicly and privately that after what transpired at Gather Round if a similar incident was to happen there would be further consequence.

“There could be no clearer message – homophobia has no place in our game, nor in society. We want all people in the community to feel welcomed in our game and comments such as Powell’s only takes away from this. As a code, as a community, we all must be better.”

The Gold Coast Suns issued a statement saying Powell made club officials aware of his comment during the match, and offered his apology to the Brisbane Lions player during the game, at the conclusion of the game, and again in the hours after the match.

“As soon as the word came out of my mouth, I knew I had made a terrible mistake,” Powell said. “I have offered my apology to the Brisbane player and would like to publicly apologise for my comment. I will take full responsibility for what I said.

“I know there is no place for comments of that nature and I will accept the repercussions for my actions. I should have known better and I need to prove this with my actions moving forward.”

In addition to the Powell sanction, the AFL announced more mandatory education programs for players around vilification.

Chief executive of LGBTQ+ advocacy group Pride Cup, Hayley Conway, said sanctions alone won’t stop players from making homophobic slurs, and the AFL’s commitment for more education was welcome, albeit lacking in detail.

“That these on-field actions are being reported shows that a decade of campaigns to end homophobia in sport are having real impact. It also shows just how common homophobic banter is.

Suns chief executive Mark Evans said Powell’s comments were “completely unacceptable”.

“We have spoken to Wil to ensure he understands the severity of his comment and the effect comments like these can have on others,” he said. “He has committed to work hard to educate and better himself and he will have the club’s support to make those improvements.”

Powell’s is the third similar sanction this AFL season, after North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson was fined for reportedly making a homophobic slur in March.