The AFL Commission chair and former Geelong president, Craig Drummond, has apologised for “the mistakes made in this very complex situation” over the secret concussion deal the Cats made with player Jake Kolodjashnij.

Drummond also confirmed he will not be involved in any AFL assessment of the case, which emerged on Thursday.

Geelong struck an agreement with Kolodjashnij in 2024, when he took on legal responsibility for any potential future head trauma.

Drummond, who became commission chair in March, was Geelong’s president and on the club board at the time the deal was signed.

“I was president of the Geelong football club in 2024,” the AFL chairman said.

“This was an extremely complex and sensitive matter, and obligations to both the player and the club were very carefully considered by the Geelong board.

“Jake’s welfare was central to all discussions and I have been thinking of him particularly over the past few days.

“While the player was medically cleared to play, the club engaged in lengthy discussions including with him, his family, doctors and insurers about his future and the potential risks of returning to play.

“Regardless of the player’s agreement, the club went too far in adding a waiver into an informed consent document and it will be removed.”

The club scrapped the waiver on Thursday, while the AFL released a statement the same day saying it did not approve the deal.

The AFL did not penalise Geelong though the Cats’ chief executive, Steve Hocking, did not rule out a sanction while taking responsibility for Kolodjashnij’s waiver on Friday.

Kolodjashnij went public on Friday evening to defend the club that he has now played 200 AFL matches with and the process that led to him continuing his career.

Drummond said the waiver did not remove Kolodjashnij’s protections as a player under statutory health and safety laws.

“As the club has also acknowledged, there was also a process failure in relation to lodgement of the agreement with the AFL and the AFLPA [AFL Players’ Association],” Drummond said.

“I have not and will not be involved in any deliberation in relation to this matter and its assessment under the AFL rules and regulations.

“I apologise for the mistakes made in this very complex situation.”