Eddie McGuire has stepped down as president of the Collingwood Magpies following the disastrous fallout of the Do Better report.
The report, published in The Age last Monday, revealed the club had been guilty of systemic racism, yet when McGuire and other members of the club’s management fronted the press later that afternoon, he opened by saying it was a “historic and proud day for the Collingwood Football Club“.
McGuire apologised for his comments the following day at the Magpies’ annual general meeting, but an open letter calling for his immediate resignation was released earlier on Tuesday. It had more than 70 signatories, including a number of politicians and Indigenous leaders.
McGuire became president of Collingwood in 1998, and had already announced his plans to step down from the role at the end of the 2021 season, but decided to bring that forward in the aftermath of last week.
“I don’t think continuing is either fair or tenable for the community,” McGuire said at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
“People have latched on to my opening line last week and as a result I have become a lightning rod for criticism but have placed the club in a position where it is hard to move forward with our plans of clear air.”
However, McGuire made no mention in his statement of Heritier Lumumba, the former Magpie whose claims of racism at the club were what led to the commissioning of the Do Better report.
McGuire’s 22 years in charge of the club did contain on-field success, with Collingwood winning the AFL premiership in 2010 and making four further grand finals, but they were also punctuated by a number of comments from the president which rightly attracted significant criticism.
In 2013, after Adam Goodes was racially abused by a Collingwood supporter, McGuire said on radio that the Swans superstar should be used to promote the musical King Kong, while in 2016 he said he’d pay $50,000 to see columnist Caroline Wilson held underwater.
West Coast Eagles
Roar Rookie
You also made a comment wishing a Roar posters family member would die a long slow painful death due to covid. Poor behavior to say the least worse than the racism your talking about. Pathetic weak men say pathetic weak nasty stuff that be you 6x6
User
Roar Rookie
I made comments regarding edward, cfc and macallister along time ago only to have our cfc sympathisers try and defend their poor and inadequate behaviour towards racism over the years, good riddance to a bad smell know if degoey is guilty sack him.
2dogz
Roar Rookie
Cool story bro
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
Hi PtS! I seem to recall in an agreement with the State Gov Collingwood agreed to spend $10 million on the parks around the Holden Centre and the Yarra if the Govt matched dollar for dollar. They feed about 300 homes each night and have emergency accommodation for women and children in danger and train and support the local Wurundjeri people. If Collingwood's sponsors abandon it and merch sales drop, I doubt they will cut the football department first.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
It has always been everyone against Collingwood! Its nothing to do with Maguire. It is all the club has ever known. I've been following the Pies when Tommy Sherrin was President. Back then, people still called you a "mick" or a "paddy" for following them because they were a team of Irish Catholics from the slums, abattoirs, and tanneries.
Fat Toad
Roar Rookie
Its an interesting world when one of the few people who will say anything positive about Maguire is Peter Gordon, a rival president speaking on ABC TV. His point was that everything said about Collingwood could be said of every other club and that Collingwood at the instigation of Eddy Maguire, had done so much for the community that is never mentioned for example a series of 5 year plans with the local Wurundjeri people including the use of the Holden Center to train people in media and TV, feeding and sheltering about 300 homeless each night, and development of public spaces along the Yarra.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Or white.
Squiggly
Roar Rookie
Hahahaha
Randy
Roar Rookie
RL #1 for Aussies with blakc skin, no debate about that really....
bagley
Roar Rookie
unfortunately a lot of kids have these same insecurities and go along with the name calling because they are afraid to be singled out, it would take a brave and mature kid to call it out, I'm sorry that i didn't have the courage at that stage in my life to speak out, cause i knew it was wrong. But this is how it becomes systemic, and some people never grow up and find that courage to speak out, people like Eddie!
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
It's better than being dishonest (is the point). :happy:
Kancel Kulcha
Guest
Not sure what this rip them down culture serves. Just wait for the inevitable swing back the other way.
Mooty
Roar Rookie
One win out of five Grand Finals is about par for Collingwood
2dogz
Roar Rookie
Kebab was better
2dogz
Roar Rookie
Nah
Mooty
Roar Rookie
Bruce calling any game
Aransan
Roar Rookie
The weak will try to build themselves up by pulling others down.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
The article is interesting PTS, I had wondered whether Lumumba had objected at the time. We all have a lot to learn about this issue but we have to find a way to progress by bringing people with us. I have had concerns for Lumumba as well, I worry that he might be doing harm to himself by being so prominent on this. I guess distance gives him some protection.
Gerry
Roar Rookie
Nah he was an idiot and good riddance to him and hopefully this is the start of many others being called out on racism and other blights on the sport.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Doug, if you are hanging your hat on being honest with your mediocrity then maybe you too need a shake up.