Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett wants a racism investigation finalised by Christmas through mediation with senior AFL coaches Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan.
Kennett's hopeful timeframe means new North Melbourne coach Clarkson and Brisbane boss Fagan will remain on leave when pre-season training resumes in mid-November.
Kennett is urging a rapid resolution given the damage to the Hawks and to Clarkson and Fagan, who have denied any wrongdoing after being named in a report detailing allegations of racism while they were at Hawthorn.
The AFL is yet to announce an independent four-person panel to examine claims made by former Indigenous players at the club.
"My own preference would be that the AFL, through their new process that they are setting up, call all parties together," Kennett told KIIS 101.1 radio on Monday.
"All parties agree to sit down and talk it through. And therefore, through mediation, we could have this wrapped up by Christmas.
"I don't know if all parties, given the damage that has been done now and the pain that both parties are feeling, I don't know if that will be possible or not.
"That is my desire. And the AFL is setting up a different process now and we will just have to wait and see where that takes us."
WorkSafe Victoria has separately launched an investigation into the racism claims, which have delayed Clarkson's November 1 official start as the Kangaroos' coach while Fagan has taken leave at the Lions.
Kennett remains disheartened the players spoke out publicly after being involved in a confidential review at Hawthorn.
"They had come to us asking for confidentiality, we had started a process to deal with their claims and to help them," he said.
"And then we found, before that process could be further advanced, not only have they gone to the media but they had also publicly named the people with whom they had challenges.
"On one hand they asked for anonymity, yet they didn't afford the same to those who they were accusing.
"And that has thrown the whole process into a different level ... that's their choice but you surely can understand once you start a confidential process and then you break it and name other people, it makes it unfair on those they've accused."
