AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has apologised for laughing when told about a Mad Monday incident that saw an AFL player allegedly set a performing dwarf on fire.
Entertainer Blake Johnston claims his costume was set alight with a cigarette lighter while talking to a group of St Kilda players as part of their post-season celebrations.
The incident, being investigated by police, put Demetriou into fits of laughter when asked whether he was 'used to this sort of thing' by commentator Luke Darcy on Talking Footy.
Johnston's friend and workmate Josh Damman vented his outrage on Facebook.
"Many are finding this 'amusing' because it happened to a dwarf. For that, I am disgusted in you or anyone that thinks this way," Damman wrote.
"Had it been a female entertainer that was set on fire, would he (Demetriou) be laughing? If so, surely there would be an outrage made about it.
"This case is no different and Blake deserves an apology from Andrew Demetriou, the Saints, the AFL, all on Talking Footy, as well as some form of compensation for the distress this incident has caused."
Demetriou apologised and tried to provide some explanation for his hysterics on Tuesday morning.
"I was giggling in the beginning because I'd been told by the producer in the break," he told Fairfax radio.
"I thought they were having me on. I thought it was a joke.
"After I found out that it was true, it's just reprehensible.
"I was flabbergasted because in the scheme of all the things we've been (through), that would have been one I could never have predicted that we would deal with."