AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has again distanced the AFL from a spate of negative public sentiment towards women and their role in football with a strongly worded article in today's AFL Record.

Demetriou's decision to take the rare step of restating the competition's support of women and the role they play comes as a direct result of recent comments from The Footy Show's Sam Newman.

The AFL chief early last month described The Footy Show's now-controversial stunt involving a mannequin as unacceptable, and it is understood he has been disappointed with the perception that the league had failed to state its position.

Demetriou's editorial, which was written with the full knowledge and support of the AFL Commission, states: "As a sporting code, we are fortunate to have almost 100,000 volunteer women and men who contribute so much time, energy and passion to our game. Everyone from the NAB AFL Auskick clinic volunteers through to the men and women who serve on AFL club boards. That's why it was so disappointing to see comments disparaging the contribution of women in football and particularly women on football club boards. I want to repeat what I have previously said — those views have no place in our game and the AFL emphatically supports the involvement of women at all levels of the game … The joy that women have in our game and the contribution they make will never be diminished by unacceptable, inaccurate and misguided comments made by people who should know better. Our game would not go on without the support of women in roles ranging from administrators and board members down to coaches, trainers and team managers. Any suggestion that women do not contribute in those roles is ridiculous and doesn't represent the views of the AFL or the wider football community."