Another AFL indigenous scandal has appeared this week involving Jason Mifsud and serious allegations. While everyone is now trying to hose the situation down, Mifsud is lucky to still be in a job at this present time.
If you have not heard, Grant Thomas published an article on Ninemsn which made an allegation that Melbourne coach Mark Neeld had treated his indigenous and non-indigenous players differently over a matter at the club.
Neeld on Fox Footy’s On the Couch – along with several senior players – strenuously denied these claims and demanded to know who leaked the misleading information to Thomas.
It was the revealed that the information came from AFL employee Jason Mifsud, who apologised today.
This is the same man who revealed to AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou the conversation he had with former Adelaide recruiter Matt Rendell, which lead to the latter’s sacking.
Everyone will make judgements and outrageous claims about Mifsud and the AFL on their actions.
People will also try to link it to the Rendell saga, which is just plain stupid and lazy logical thinking.
Mifsud clearly was remorseful for what he has done and I do believe he is feeling upset and embarrassed.
But the contrition doesn’t hide the reality; he is fortunate to be in his job. The AFL should have let Mifsud go immediately.
While he hasn’t escaped punishment – he has an offical warning – it is not a good response from the AFL on this issue.
His ill-advised comments had the potential to defame Mark Neeld, who is just weeks into what we hope is a successful coaching career.
Where he got his comments from we might never know, but to leak these serious allegations to a columnist without cross checking is negligent.
Mifsud, through Grant Thomas, has made serious allegations against Neeld that are an attack on how the Melbourne coach thinks and behaves.
In some sections of the community Neeld might never recover from the accusations made against him, despite his repeated denials.
If the AFL is about consistency, then surely Mifsud is in breach of AFL policy.
More seriously, how can Mifsud be trusted by any player, coach or official, whether indigenous or non-indigenous, when having a discussion about serious issues?
Like Dean Rioli said yesterday, Mifsud has breached confidentiality twice, in what were private conversations between two men.
The AFL’s indigenous program surely cannot work if the indigenous community cannot trust Mifsud.
On the basis of what has happened Mifsud is still lucky to be an employee of the AFL.
If Dean Rioli is right, and Mifsud has lost the trust of those he is employed to serve, his position is untenable.
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