David Koch has put his allegiance with Channel Seven aside to support his beloved Port Adelaide Power, after the AFL team criticised the TV network’s reporting of an incident involving one of its players.

The AFL banned Port Adelaide player Sam Powell-Pepper for a third straight game this week, after an investigation found he was guilty of making “inappropriate contact” with a young woman at a nightclub earlier this month.

It’s understood that Channel Seven broke the story via Twitter saying the club was investigating “claims a player sexually assaulted a young woman”.

Port Adelaide Power CEO Keith Thomas has lashed out at Seven’s coverage of the incident, accusing the network of exaggerating the incident and damaging Powell-Pepper’s reputation.

“We think that this has been way overplayed,” he told media at a press conference.

“We believe that Channel Seven Adelaide set the tone for the investigation and we’ll be discussing that with them.”

Rather than stay silent on the matter, Kochie – who hosts Seven’s Sunrise and is also president of the Port Adelaide Football Club –  has thrown his full support behind Thomas, saying his duties as club president and his personal values outweigh his responsibilities at the TV network.

“I’m standing up for the Port Adelaide Football Club — and Sam Powell-Pepper,” he told The Advertiser.

“I firmly believe in my position to defend the club and one of its players in a very delicate matter.”

B&T has contacted Seven for comment.