Adelaide recruiting manager Matthew Rendell has quit after saying the club would not draft a player unless he had at least one white parent.

Rendell, who has been Adelaide's recruiting manager since 2007, was widely condemned on Friday for the racist comments.

Adelaide chief executive officer Steven Trigg said Rendell's position was "absolutely untenable".

"We can't have him attached to the club," Trigg told reporters on Friday.

"In no forum on any part of the club has there been any suggestion about changing our recruiting policies."

Rendell released a statement saying he believed his comments, in a meeting attended by AFL community engagement officer Jason Mifsud, were misunderstood.

"I believe the comments in a meeting with Jason were taken out of context," Rendell said.

"They were misunderstood. I have a strong track record of recruiting Aboriginal players.

"My comments were about where recruiting could finish up without proactive work.

"I was trying to help. However, knowing the implication of such reports, I've decided to stand down.

"To stay would attach those comments to the club, which is not the case either."

The Crows have several indigenous players, including Graham Johncock, Jared Petrenko and Richard Tambling - the latter pair recruited to the club by Rendell.

Rendell would have been sacked if he did not resign, Trigg said.

"While Matthew disputes the interpretation and the context of that meeting, he's aware that to continue in the role would be to attach those comments to the club," Trigg told reporters.

"To have any such commentary attached to our club in any way is absolutely untenable.

"Our club has a strong and proud history of recruiting, fostering and developing Aboriginal players and it fully intends to keep doing so in the future."

Trigg said Rendell's resignation took effect immediately, despite his protestations of being taken out of context.

"There is a simple message coming from Matthew, that he was trying to help, he was trying to give an understanding that there are some challenges in terms of pathways," Trigg said.

AAP