AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has let slip the best opportunity yet for the AFL to establish itself as a leading advocate of equality in sport, after the league on Monday chose to go soft on “vicious” comments made by Collingwood president Eddie McGuire about respected sports journalist Caroline Wilson.
Fairfax football writer Wilson was the subject of an inappropriate joke made by McGuire and other members of the Triple M footy team during the ‘Big Freeze at the G’ match last Monday, in which a typically loose-lipped McGuire said he would pay money to see Wilson held under in a pool of water.
The seriousness of the comments, which run directly counter to the AFL’s commendable stance on domestic violence, only became apparent in mainstream media on Sunday, but was enough to force the AFL into action.
The situation was crying out for strong leadership but, from the outset of McLachlan’s press conference, it was clear his rhetoric was going to fall well short of a definitive and unambiguous statement.
McLachlan said he had been assured by several women – who remained unnamed and unidentified – that McGuire’s apology was acceptable, never mind that the woman at the centre of the storm, Wilson, felt no such thing. Quite the opposite, in fact.
More:
» It’s not Caroline Wilson, but Eddie, James and Danny who need to go
» Sport and our attitudes towards women
» All talk, no action from Gill and the AFL on violence against women
» When it comes to respect, window dressing is not enough
» Fantasising about murdering Caroline Wilson, on live radio
» Get the story straight about Eddie
If the weak written statement wasn’t cringe-worthy enough, the league CEO then went about trumpeting the AFL’s success in fostering the success of women in our great game.
He praised the establishment of the women’s league, while he also reminded us all of the AFL’s involvement in the White Ribbon cause – the one that solely aims to raise awareness of violence against women.
But what McLachlan didn’t do was talk about the consequences for McGuire, and to a lesser extent, James Brayshaw, Danny Frawley and the rest of the Triple M call team.
“[McGuire’s comments were] not good enough,” McLachlan said, “We can’t say that we as an industry have a commitment to making change if we don’t step up and call it out.”
McLachlan should have called it out with a resounding put-down, but he wimped it.
Pandering to the deeply-ingrained boys club in some AFL media circles, McLachlan said the “culture” must change, but the league boss failed to demonstrate how that might happen. Instead of demonstrating strong leadership, he offered up a response that had all the firmness of a month-old celery stick.
It’s not as if McGuire has a clean history, either; the ‘King Kong’ incident sticks out as one major gaffe in his past, while other comments such as “land of the falafel” in reference to western Sydney offended many.
His apology to Wilson on Monday lacked sincerity and contrition.
“I am so sorry the comments have resonated that way,” he said.
While McLachlan was busy explaining his belief that McGuire’s apology was satisfactory, The Age was publishing a column from Wilson in which she said the comments were straight out of 1990s – back when McGuire was leading The Footy Show with “vile and foul-mouthed” conversations among “sexist gang tackles”.
Not only did McGuire’s comments embarrass himself, McLachlan then accepted the half-baked apology on Monday, shockingly, on behalf of Wilson and on behalf of the AFL
McLachlan could not have projected himself any worse to the football public, considering the policy the AFL is trying to push with regards to preventing violence against women.
McLachlan’s comments that the AFL was at the “forefront” of equality were risible in the context of the day, and left many on social media, as well as respected public figures such as Kristina Keneally, fuming.
This is the same AFL, remember, which has come down hard on North Melbourne coach Brad Scott who levelled, admittedly, explosive accusations at the AFL’s umpiring department.
By the league standard set on Monday; North Melbourne’s – and Scott’s – “unreserved” apology should have satisfied Mark Evans and the umpiring department.
The league had a golden opportunity to establish itself as a legitimate force in the fight against domestic violence and violence against women, but it failed the test miserably.
McLachlan said it was “an indictment on everyone in football” that the Wilson issue took so long to arise, but the strong words were not backed up by strong action.
Violence is one of the leading causes of death and injury to women aged 18-44, and broadcasting threats – even if in jest – to thousands of listeners is not acceptable and should not be punishable by a meek slap on the wrist.
“We have a long way to go and our sport must lead,” McLachlan said of the role of women in football, however his league on Monday afternoon did nothing to neither fill women with confidence, nor dispel the anger many were feeling.
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