But whether you are playing footy, soccer, or netball, everyone playing sport should feel safe – safe from sledging, safe from racist comments or unfair barriers to them achieving their best.
Everyone wants to be, and should expect to be, treated equally on-and-off the playing field.
The AFL First Nations players dazzle us with their brilliance, their skills with the ball. They display resilience and determination both on-and-off the field.
The leadership of current player Carlton star Eddie Betts and past players such as Nicky Winmar, Michael Long and Adam Goodes is testament to their courage and commitment to make football a more inclusive game – to make it safer for all participants.
It’s been six months since the Collingwood Football Club’s “Do Better” report and four months since major changes in the AFL’s discrimination and racial and religious vilification rules.
But still racism pervades sport and our society.
The recent racist comments by Adelaide Crows’ ex-captain, Taylor Walker, demonstrate a level of ignorance, insensitivity and ingrained racism that is shocking in someone who has held leadership roles at elite levels in AFL but who also has participated in activities to increase awareness of the insidious and harmful nature of racism in sport.
This situation highlights there is still so much more to be done.
As Yankunyjatjara and Wirangu woman, radio and television presenter Shelley Ware noted, “Taylor has work to do on himself it’s up to him now.”
Crows’ coach, Matthew Nicks's strong, unequivocal response to Taylor’s comments was absolutely necessary: "What's played out here is completely unacceptable and something we won't stand for as a football club, it's something I won't stand for as a football coach".
“You just want to look them (First Nations players) in the eye and say: ‘We’ve got your back.’ That’s hard to do at the moment. We’re sticking strong and we’ll stand side-by-side our indigenous brothers and we’ll get through and educate ourselves,” Nicks said.“Let’s make sure we learn from this. There’s an education piece around the history in this country and the people who were first here.”
But there is a deeper issue that sportswriter, Peter Ryan, explores in an opinion piece in The Age:
“There are many people within and outside the game who want to stand up to such behaviour and stand by those who have been vilified but, faced with deeply ingrained attitudes and systems that are hard to crack, discover stamping out racism is difficult work.
“Adelaide appears to have responded appropriately to this incident but all in footy and at all levels need to at least ask whether systemic problems underpin such behaviour and act to address them.
“Education has always been the answer but so are actions to back up that education.”
Ryan noted: “Too often victims of abuse become discouraged as they are not believed, nor supported, the comment is denied, the abuser is protected, or the complaint is filed in the too-hard basket, the case closed.”
In Walker’s case, an unnamed Crows’ official made the report. Des Headland, ex Brisbane Lion and chair of the Indigenous Players Alliance said: “In terms of the official. I take my hat off to them. That’s leadership, that’s courage. It’s courageous for people to stand up and call this out.”
But as Peter Ryan continued, “those with lived experience of racism need to be given greater voice and more positions within the game to ensure the system reflects the diversity on the playing field at every level.”
This means having diversity – including people who have this experience of racism - in executive, coaching, administrative and media positions. In fact at all levels and in all aspects of sport.
It would enable a wider lens to be cast over situations, different perspectives and impacts on wellbeing and mental health to be considered.
We all need to work together to ensure all sport, whether at the elite, local or junior level, is played on an even playing field. We want sport to work for everyone. Not just some participants.
A system that truly reflects the diversity of those involved is better able to make decisions that take everyone along together – to ensure no group is left out. This is true of sport, our education and political systems – in fact our society as a whole.
We want a better, fairer society led by the values of caring for everyone.
And with true justice for everyone, we can live and play in a society that works for all of us, where everyone is treated with respect and dignity.
- Shepparton Region Reconciliation Group
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