The former Hawthorn First Nations players and their families at the centre of the AFL’s racism scandal have publicly revealed their identities for the first time, writing an open letter slamming the eight-month investigation into their allegations as a ‘s–tshow’.
Hawks legend Cyril Rioli and wife Shannyn Ah-Sam are among those who have come forward, along with former teammates Carl Peterson and Jermaine Miller-Lewis, along with Miller-Lewis’ wife Montanah and former Hawks staffer Leon Egan.
The group state in the letter they ‘never asked for money’ as compensation for telling the club their stories during a review into historic racism at the club, and announced they have officially lodged proceedings with the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Below is the letter in full.
We are some of the Indigenous families who endured racism at the Hawthorn Football Club.
We were separated from our families.
We were told an unborn child would ruin our futures.
We were treated as special projects and control of our lives was taken from us. We told our truths in confidence, because we believed that it would bring change. And because we needed to heal and move on.
That confidence was betrayed.
We never asked for money.
All we ever wanted was to sit with the coaches and officials we looked up to, and who had such control over our lives and our futures, and make them understand what we heard.
What impact it had on our lives.
And to listen to them tell us their own truths – even why they thought they were helping us.
And we are gutted that these so-called AFL role models weren’t prepared to listen to our truths through mediation. We have always had the courage to listen to their truths too. That is our way.
We were never scared of being named. We were never scared of what they would throw at us. We were worried about impacts on others. It doesn’t change our truth.
None of us deserved this public shitshow – including them.
But they have made their choice, and we will now bring them to a Human Rights Commission conciliation to listen to the truths that they don’t want to hear. And if they still won’t listen and learn then it will end up in the Federal Court where we will tell our truths in the witness box. But they will hear us one way or another.
We also believe that with the passing of time that the Hawthorn Football Club will acknowledge that our suffering and pain was real.
We reached an agreement with the AFL not out of fear, but strength, because the AFL finally apologised to all First Nations players for racism in football.
They acknowledged our pain and hurt when we were at Hawthorn. They made a legally binding promise to us to combat racism in football. And the game will be safer for all First Nations families because of it.
These blokes who changed the course of our lives have never been exonerated by the AFL. The Panel never made any findings because it was shut down.
We previously allowed these people to use their power to control our lives. It should never happen again.
The statement comes after the AFL on Tuesday shut down their independent investigation into allegations against Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan and former Hawks player welfare manager Jason Burt, in which the league made no findings.
Blimey
Roar Rookie
As professional athlete you are obligated to comply with the clubs' contract. I would think all players would have worked out their pros n cons on signing up. To be fair you would have to treat all equally with the same rules. On saying that I wouldn't like to be refered to as 'special projects'. Told to abort a child. Which could be inturpreted a bit dramatically, considering others in the club had babies in that time. Needs more substance to that story, not saying it's untrue. And the last argument , confiding to them their grievences only to be fobbed off. I would be angry to! It's easy to throw racism around as the problem. I would suggest its more cultural inturpretation and how this is handled to move forward.
matth
Roar Guru
What you’ve just described happens way too often in all walks of life. A bit depressing really
matth
Roar Guru
There has been issues over the years. Latrell Mitchell copped some fan abuse recently that was publicly dealt with the show what behaviors are acceptable. I think there would be issues in RL and AFL that reflect issues in society that have a long way to go. RL did appoint the first indigenous captain of any national sporting team - the Immortal Arthur Beetson.
matth
Roar Guru
People who have serious issues with their managers generally have the option of remaining anonymous. The public has no right to know here. The problem is the leaks in the first place meaning the accused were made public. That should not have happened, but that can’t be fixed by forcing the other side of the fence to also go public
Sunshine Tiger
Roar Rookie
The AFL wanted this to go away , they were in possession of the report for all the month of September, if the ABC hadn’t run with the story Gilligan would have shredded it, why where the findings dropped in the middle of the night by Gilligan? He wanted it to end before he left to go overseas , he can’t control the narrative from Paris The AFL under Gilligan has become the most corrupt sporting body in world sport surpassing FIFA
WCE
Roar Rookie
Deal with it and get on with it. Everyone is sick to death hearing about it
Birdman
Roar Rookie
Interesting points, Cam. There will be other clubs feeling a bit nervous depending on how some of these matters are determined. Many of these issues can't be unique to Hawthorn which is not to diminish how the complainants feel about them.
Birdman
Roar Rookie
Pretty sure mediation is compulsory at the AHRC.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
He was a very special player Bird. Could turn a game or a grand final with 7 disposals. For a Pies fan he was like Didak, Leon Davis and Peter Daicos all rolled into one.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Betts pulled off the impossible quite frequently
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
.. and many are overseas and that's fine. You raised it with the Pacific Islander base. So my point is NRL is less of an opportunity for white guys. That's fact and not racism. And you maybe aware that on the AF pages I've stated numerous times my best AFL side would be at least 15, even 18, Nungas, Noongar and others who identify as Aussie Indigenous.
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
I mean New South Wales and Queensland are the states with the largest ATSI populations as well
Randy
Roar Rookie
"spot the aussie"? oh dear... you know that a lot of players with pacific islanders' heritage are born in Australia and therefor aussie... seems like AR and many of its fans are stuck in the dark ages
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Im hearing all interviews and meetings will be recorded now not sure if that's true or not though.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
"Spot the Aussie", I mean RL, is originally working class, AF is all comers. I'm not sure that's a well made point. Classism is another "ism" just like racism. I've been in RL Country for 34 years and l don't detect any difference in racism levels between SA & NSW / Qld
Cam
Roar Rookie
I don’t want to sound dismissive, but I’d have thought most young rookie players drafted are initially separated from them families? I mean, sometimes that is the sacrifice you have to make when pursuing a career in elite-level professional sport. We were treated as special projects and control of our lives was taken from us. And again, that sounds pretty standard when a professional sporting club employs rookie kids. Especially if they have poor habits or are surrounded by people who don’t support the commitment needed to achieve at an elite level. I suspect the lawyers will be the only winners.
Randy
Roar Rookie
There has been incidents of racism but I feel like Indigenous people have a stronger voice in League. NRL is more working class - not as white and elitist as AFL. There is also the large pacific islander base so having black skin isn't a minority in NRL.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Could not have worded it better myself.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Human Rights Commission seems like the right forum. How many years before it gets there? Will Clarko's contract have expired by then?
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Once the specific facts are presented and it becomes plainly clear that the Hawthorn Football club had one set of rules for indigenous players & another set of rules for non-indigenous players I am sceptical. The profound statement of "We previously allowed these people to use their power to control our lives" sounds very disparaging. But in all honesty, young professional footballers live in a controlled world were they take instruction in diet, training, accomodation, after hours activities. Advised they they will be regularly tested for illicit & performance drugs. So many young men rely on that support/control. When Jeremy Cameron arrived in Sydney from country Victoria as an 18yo. Do you think GWS just sent him the bus ticket & told him to report for training on Saturday 2nd Nov @ SOP. Of course not, they would have been extremely involved in his lifestyle & new home etc.