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The AFL should be applauded for its swift handling of the case that saw Western Bulldogs player Justin Sherman sent to the VFL for four weeks after racially vilifying a Gold Coast Suns opponent on the weekend.
It’s a sign of the league’s foresight in this area that on the Monday after such an incident a conciliation meeting, apology and penalty for the offending player can all have taken place.
Having said all that, there has been a number of incidents of this nature this year, a point that hopefully isn’t lost on those at AFL House. While this is the first case of a player engaging in racial vilification activity, it is obvious the game is yet to rid itself of this ugly blight.
A quick look at the incidents that have received media attention in 2011 suggests as much.
In April, Hawthorn star Lance Franklin was on the end of continued attacks from one supporter during a match in Launceston, which included being called a “black c—”. Soon after, another spectator from the same venue revealed that Liam Jurrah and fellow indigenous Melbourne players were the subject of sickening abuse at a pre-season game.
In May, Port Adelaide’s Daniel Motlop and Daniel Pearce revealed they had received racial taunts while playing in the SANFL this season, with Motlop describing what was said as “the worst I’ve ever copped”.
Earlier this month, a fan at a VFL match was ejected after racially abusing Sudanese-born North Melbourne player Majak Daw, prompting a massive reaction in the media.
Now we have the Sherman incident to add to the list. It’s hardly a good look, especially when you remember all these incidents involve players on AFL lists.
Who’s to say there aren’t worse things being directed at players in the second tier and below that simply don’t get attention because the player is not newsworthy? Who’s to say the problem isn’t exponentially bigger at the grassroots level?
Now, it must be said that the AFL should be proud of the leadership it has shown in this area. A lot has changed since Nicky Winmar and Michael Long took a stand against comments from supporters and the introduction of racial vilification policies in 1995.
It’s no coincidence that the proportion of indigenous players in the AFL rose from 4 per cent in 1995 to 11 per cent in 2010, a statistic not lost on indigenous star Andrew McLeod, whose career spanned those years.
Despite that, while the AFL should certainly be proud of what it has achieved, it can’t stop there. It can’t rest on its laurels.
The year 2011 seems to epitomise this – at the start of the year the AFL presented to a United Nations forum on racism in sport, yet since then has only gotten reminders of how the job isn’t done.
Hopefully, though, the weekend’s incident will be the last time we hear of an AFL player being responsible for racially vilifying a member of the opposition.