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AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has criticised Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett for racial stereotyping security guards who patrol matches.

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has been accused of racial stereotyping by AFL chief Gillon McLachlan.

The league boss says Kennett was inappropriate in questioning if AFL security staff were "new arrivals" to Australia with sufficient knowledge of the game to police crowds.

Kennett said on Monday: "I'm not being racist when I say this but ... the people who are making judgments while they wear these authoritative coats are not people who appear to have a great knowledge of our game.

"And yet they make judgements about what's correct and what's not correct."

McLachlan on Tuesday spoke with Kennett by telephone.

"People need to be judged on their performance in their roles, not their origin or background," McLachlan told reporters.

"I will make it clear on behalf of the AFL, it (Kennett's remarks) is inappropriate.

"In the end, I think that if you call out someone based on their appearance and not their ability, you're racially stereotyping.

"I told Jeff that."

McLachlan said Kennett had expressed regret for his comments.

"He regrets those words and the offence they caused," he said.

"It's just unacceptable to be making comments that don't reflect someone's ability, in fact speak to their background - and I couldn't be clearer with Jeff about that."

Kennett on Tuesday apologised on social media.

"This morning I spoke to Gill McLachlan ... I expressed my regret at using some of the words I did and apologise for doing so," he posted on Twitter.