Gold Coast have suspended Campbell Brown while the AFL club investigate an overseas incident that left teammate Steven May with a broken jaw.

Brown’s AFL career hangs by a thread following the incident last week in Los Angeles.

Suns chairman John Witheriff wrote an open letter to supporters on Sunday, a day after May had surgery in Australia.

Witheriff said in the letter that May needed two plates to repair the break in his left jaw and should return to training in a fortnight.

He added that the Suns’ board met on Thursday and decided to suspend Brown from the club.

“Highlighting the seriousness with which the club is treating the issue, the board agreed to delegate its authority to make a decision on the matter to two board members – myself, and Mr Bob East,” Witheriff said.

“Following the board meeting, the club notified Campbell Brown that he would be suspended from the club until the completion of the investigation.

“Campbell understands the suspension and is co-operating fully with the on-going investigation.”

Witheriff said the investigation was being conducted in “a timely manner”.

“I must stress that the board is committed to a fair and appropriate outcome,” he said.

“The integrity of the investigation is my dominant concern.”

The incident happened outside a Los Angeles nightclub, following Gold Coast’s pre-season camp in Arizona.

There are unconfirmed reports that shortly before the incident May was trying to re-enter the nightclub to take a photo of pop star Rihanna.

Hawthorn star Josh Gibson, an old teammate of Brown’s, is also understood to have been with the group of Suns players when the incident happened.

Brown already was set to miss the opening round of next season because of suspension.