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Why there should not be a 'No Racism Round' in the AFL

Adam Goodes, being awarded Australian of the Year. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)
Roar Pro
22nd May, 2014
18

It truly astounds me. It’s 2014 in one of the most culturally diverse nations on the planet and articles like this still have to be written.

But I guarantee there will still be some snarky comments made upon its publication that, like the many that inspired this piece, will have me burying my face in my heads questioning higher powers.

I’m referring of course to one of the hottest topics of the last 12 months, racism in sport.

No, the problem was not solved when Adam Goodes was named Australian of the Year. Nor when Dani Alves devoured that banana in Spain. And apparently this worldwide issue seems to somehow still have a place in our multicultural society.

The topic has sparked conversation again after two separate incidences involving AFL spectators in recent weeks.

Most notable was the verbal abuse hurled towards Australian of the Year, dual premiership player, dual Brownlow medallist and renowned nice guy Adam Goodes. The culprit was, in my opinion, a lowlife supporter dobbed-in by a fellow fan. He claims sorrow and remorse and the club acted swiftly to suspend his membership and issue a public apology to Goodes.

Job done, right? Wrong.

The response to some of the articles published online and commentary on social media this week has really made my blood boil. Now, I can’t help but cast my memory back to almost twelve months ago when a similar incident, again involving Goodes, blew up very publicly in one young Collingwood supporter’s face.

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I’m sure most remember the infamous occasion but what they might not have registered is the bands of people, much like they have done this week, coming to the defence of the culprit, which is easy to do from behind a keyboard and an avatar.

‘She’s just a young girl, she doesn’t know any better’. Perhaps not, but shouldn’t she? Hasn’t Disney been teaching our kids for years that everyone is different and beautiful in their own way?

‘She didn’t mean it as a racist remark, she just meant Goodes actually carries a likeness to an ape’. Really? Because I’ve never seen a gorilla toast two Brownlow medals or kick key goals in the 2005 and 2012 grand finals. I’m pretty sure a silverback couldn’t lace out Barry Hall 20 from goal, straight in front or slot set shots from 55 out without breaking a sweat.

‘Most undeserving Australian of the Year’. I can’t remember who I saw comment this in January but standing up for what you believe in, saying ‘no more’ to a complete and total injustice is completely deserving of one of Australia’s highest honours. Steve Waugh won the bloody thing for goodness sake.

I don’t understand how people could still think that behaviour like this is acceptable. Could it just be ignorance? Do these people simply not understand what it can be like on the other end of a ‘bit of [racist] banter’? Because those who do know what it’s like can tell you it’s not a laughing matter.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a sledger – a serial sledger. As a spectator and as an amateur sportsperson I dish it out as much as I get it. On the rare occasion I will cross the line and get a bit personal. I will apologise and beg forgiveness. Sometimes I’ll buy the other person a beer. But one thing I will never do is chastise someone for where they are from or what they believe in – unless they believe in racism.

I’ve also been to a game where one of my good friends surprised me, the rest of our group and the surrounding crowd when he made some evil remarks about Swans paceman Lewis Jetta. He’d had a bit to drink and instantly realised how offensive what he had said was and immediately went into his shell for the rest of the game. He later apologised to me personally as he knew my stance on the issue, to which I replied, “I’m not the one you should be apologising to”.

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That is why I’m so against a ‘No Racism Round’ in the AFL.

While I admire the AFL’s push to establish a ‘No Racism Round’, I think they’re looking at it the wrong way.

If we agree to a single round being marked as ‘No Racism’ then does that make it acceptable to hurl this disgusting abuse around for the remaining 22?

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