The 2016 AFL season is almost upon us and we can only hope that it’s fundamentally different from the 2015 version.
Not because Hawthorn won again (although as a Collingwood supporter that’s partly true). No, we hope that 2016 isn’t smeared with racism and the widespread abuse like 2015.
As the supporters, we need to make the change…
Without a doubt, the most significant issue of 2015 was the racial discrimination directed towards Adam Goodes.The raucous booing of Goodes while playing at Domain Stadium (and other venues) will linger long in the memory.
It was a blight on the sport and one that could have been better handled on all accounts. Only last week, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan apologised to Goodes for the slow and limited response from the AFL Commission.
Beyond Goodes, there have been many other incidents of racist behaviour on Australian sporting fields. Two weeks ago, students from Reddam College, an esteemed private school on Sydney’s North Shore, repeatedly yelled “F***ing Jews” while playing a ‘friendly’ soccer match against Moriah College.
These anti-Semitic remarks are a call back to an era of violence and hatred. The boys were only in Year 8.
More disturbing was the response by the Reddam principal: “I am sure the boys were unaware how hurtful and derogatory their actions were”.
That may be true, but questions must be asked where they initially heard such language? Just like the Goodes incident, the denial of intention appears to be masquerading as an excuse for overt racism.
These incidents speak to the general attitude of Australian society – we accept racism too easily. ‘What happens on the field, stays on the field’, and furthermore, ‘crowd chants during a game will be forgotten afterwards’.
These attitudes have led to a long-term underreporting and denial of the existence of racism in sport, particularly at a local level. More importantly, they deny any harm or vilification of the victim. This ‘Australian’ attitude simply assumes that he or she will get over it.
This is wrong and it’s unjust.
It’s time that Australian sport had a conversation about the impact of racism and put in place measures to address it.
While historically not renown for their response to racism, over the past decade the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has put in place significant anti-racism measures.
Working in collaboration with the FARE network, an anti-discrimination NGO, UEFA has created a model for capturing racism and discrimination data. The FARE network train observers to take photos and video footage of racism incidents they witness during the game, and then provide a report of their findings.
UEFA use these findings as evidence of racism and form the basis for punishments that are handed down. For the first offence, clubs will be punished with a partial stadium closure. For the second offence, clubs will be handed a huge fine and ordered to play one match behind closed doors. Just this week, UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Manchester FC and Liverpool FC following their recent Europa Cup match.
Ultimately, players and clubs get punished for their supporters’ misbehaviour. This creates a new level of ownership, a new level of responsibility. It promotes the need for sports clubs and players to act.
While implementing such measures in Australia may be considered to be an extreme measure, such actions could demonstrate a commitment to eradicating racism. Understanding the prevalence of racism is the first step towards educating the community.
In the meantime, we as supporters can initiate grassroots change by actively reporting racism at sports matches. We can remove the denial of racism in Australian sport and seek to begin a new era of respect.
#RacismItStopsWithMe
Republican
Guest
When it comes to policing, are cause and effect mutually exclusive? Where do you draw the thought police line of demarcation? There are huge grey zones, that of contradiction and double standards, to police freedom of speech and indeed any expression thereof. We humans are inherently prejudice in my opinion and while I abhor the vilification of Adam Goodes, there are some who are close to me, who shocked me with their views, holding to a distinction, to justify their anti AG sentiment, the premise being that they were simply anti AG and this had naught to do with race. Who am I to judge as only they know where their truth really lies. Sport evokes tribalism and difference, the need to feel different and therefore superior perhaps. Sport does incite irrational hate, but with rules and parameters around expression and venting. This is the nature of sport and is symbiotic of our complex human condition. The worry is that while there may appear to be an overt construct of tolerance courtesy of some social engineering, this more often than not masks a covert underbelly of societal intolerance.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I actually took the time to write a measured response to this article rebutting some of the points and the mods just deleted the whole thing. Last time I'm bothering to go to any effort with anything written on this subject.
northerner
Guest
Policing racism might not stop the racists, but it might make people who don't think much about the issue at all, reconsider some of their behaviour.
D Fitz
Guest
Jeez everyone, you've gotta have some fun in life.
KP
Guest
Not a bad article but behind the anonymity of a keyboard you'll get how people really feel (and you can see by those who have written above - and watch the vitriol as I've pointed it out). Liked "denial of intention appears to be masquerading as an excuse for overt racism", ignorance and denial of intention doesn't excuse your behavior, people just don't seem to get that. And AFL was pretty pathetic in their handling of the affair - glad they've at least recognised that and hopefully they do better next time. Maybe Fifa does better as its more of a global sport and there are different cultures meeting up regularly and there's a space for cultures to point out "thats not cool" and recognising other cultures sensitivities. AFL being a domestic sport probably struggles to recognise that as it doesn't have that exposure. I still remember the international series against Ireland where Michael Voss belted half the Irish team and acted like he was a superstar for it. Cringe...
Marshall
Guest
Won't somebody PLEASE think of the children! After the Adam Goodes 'scandal' there was kids everywhere just booing aboriginals and indigenous Australians at sporting events across the country. Just disgusting!
Mike
Guest
What an outrage. There should be a register of racist intention denying mothers. They're a blight on society.
The Brown
Guest
Taking nothing away from any "actual" and "genuine" racism in sport, which is absolutely abhorrent, but I have decided that now my "booing" of an opposing player or team , will also be accompanied with a lengthy "but I am only booing you because I don't like the team you are playing for, and the general disposition in which you play the game against my team", for fear of being branded a racist by the loud minority. Honestly, I am worried about my children's children.................they won't be able to give anyone a nickname (I assume redhead, fatty, stringbean, or four eyes will soon be banned on sporting fields?). Australia has officially lost its sense of humour.
Marshall
Guest
Gold.
Marshall
Guest
A genius Sadly, if he had kept living the amount of bulls*!t in this day and age might have killed him anway! I don't think he'd be able to handle it
marron
Guest
I'm sure there was no intention to suggest there was racism.
Dirk Armstrong
Roar Rookie
Mat obviously takes this issue very seriously, let's not disparage anyone's right to aggressively condone awful behaviour.
pat malone
Guest
Yet another do gooder that can read the minds of other people. How did you develop the ability to know what people really think?
Casper
Guest
You think your mum is bad. I caught my mum singing 'baa baa black sheep' to her grandchildren the other day. Totally unacceptable in this day and age.
Onside
Guest
I miss George Carlin so much.
Kaks
Roar Guru
"I thought supporters were chanting abuse about the Hillsborough and Munich disasters, not racist chants?" That's because they were.
SM
Guest
One wonders why you linked to that article seeing that it is irrelevant to your article. I read that paragraph and formed an assumption that reports of racial abuse had emerged, which would have been surprising given the amount of time that has passed since the match. I follow the link and there's no mention of racism whatsoever.
Simon Massey
Roar Rookie
Nathan - apologies. It is meant to read Manchester United FC. See the following link: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11959/10209342/uefa-open-disciplinary-proceedings-against-manchester-united-and-liverpool
Nathan Absalom
Roar Guru
If you're referring to the match against Liverpool and Man Utd, I didn't think there were claims of racism. While similarly vile and disgraceful, I thought supporters were chanting abuse about the Hillsborough and Munich disasters, not racist chants?
Nathan Absalom
Roar Guru
"Just this week, UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Manchester FC and Liverpool FC following their recent Europa Cup match." Who's Manchester FC?