Jordan De Goey has issued a statement on the footage of him in Bali that surfaced on Friday evening.
With Collingwood on a 12-day break due to their Round 14 bye, De Goey took a mid-season trip to the Indonesian holiday destination earlier this week.
Footage then emerged of him partying in a nightclub and making indecent gestures at a camera.
The decision to go overseas during a crucial point of his contract negotiations was criticised by Kane Cornes and Liam Pickering, however, De Goey has defended his actions.
He has called for change in terms of how athletes are treated in the media.
Collingwood is yet to address the footage, only to say they will comment further in time.
Read De Goey’s full statement posted on Instagram below
I want to take the opportunity to thank my family, friends and supporters who have checked in or sent messages of support in the past 24 hours.
I want to openly address the relentless pursuit and persecution of athletes by the media to create an uneducated, bias and ill-informed narrative that has gone too far. I am one of the lucky ones with amazing support, however not all athletes are so lucky.
This will end in tragedy if no one speaks up.
It’s time for change.