Racism in sport in Australia

Racism in sport in Australia has a long history, with one researcher finding examples from the 19th century. Since the 1990s, there have been a number of cases of racial vilification reported, with the various codes of sport tackling the problem in a variety of ways.

Background

Sport historian Colin Tatz, in his 1995 research into Indigenous Australian athletes wrote: "they're Australians when they're winning, and Aborigines at other times", in summarising the history of racism in Australian sport.[1] In his book Obstacle race: Aborigines in sport (1995), Tatz traces racism in Australia sport back to the 1800s.[2] Since the 1990s there have been numerous racial vilification cases reported in the Australian media, partly due to the increase in Indigenous athletes participating in Australian Football League (AFL)[3] and National Rugby League (NRL) and national sports organisations introducing rules to facilitate racial vilification cases.

In an incident in April 1995, Collingwood ruckman Damian Monkhorst racially abused Essendon's Michael Long. An Australian Football League (AFL) investigation after the incident showed that at least 10 players from six clubs regularly racially abused players.[4] After this, the AFL introduced "Rule 30: A Rule to Combat Racial and Religious Vilification" on 30 June 1995 as a result of the shortcomings in Long's racial vilification case against Monkhorst.[5] The Rule stated that: "no player... shall act towards or speak to any other person in a manner, or engage in any other conduct which threatens, disparages, vilifies or insults another person... on the basis of that person’s race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin".[6] The AFL's rule was the first racial vilification code in Australia sport. The AFL lead the way with its code and subsequently most major national sports organisations introduced their own rules.[7]

These voluntary sporting rules of conduct mirror Racial Discrimination Act 1975 and the Racial Hatred Act 1995 Section 18 C.(1) that: "It is unlawful for a person to do an act, otherwise than in private, if:
"(a) the act is reasonably likely, in all the circumstances, to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or a group of people; and
(b) the act is done because of the race, colour or national or ethnic origin of the other person or of some or all of the people in the group. to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another person or group of people because of their race, colour, or ethnic or national origin".[8]

In 2006, the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) published the report What's the score? A survey of cultural diversity and racism, which stated:[1]

'Racism in sport is a complex problem. It can include: racism, discrimination, harassment or vilification by players directed at other players; by spectators directed at players; or racist behaviour among rival spectator groups which spill over into disruptions and violence in the stands. It also includes the actions of sporting officials and coaches, as well as media commentators.

The AFL has been seen to take leadership in the battle against racism in sport through showcasing an "Indigenous Round'" each year, with the highlight match being Dreamtime at the 'G.[9] The NRL has an "Indigenous Round" and there is an annual game with the Indigenous All Stars.[10]

The Play by the Rules website established in 2001 provides a wide range of resources in racism in sport to assist administrators, coaches, officials, players and parents.[11]

In 2012, the AHRC launched a Racism. It Stops with Me, a community awareness campaign aimed to empower Australians to counter racial prejudice and discrimination. All the major sports organisations – Australian Football League, National Rugby League, Australian Rugby Union, Football Federation Australia, Cricket Australia, Netball Australia and Tennis Australia have become part of this campaign.[7] A television advertisement was produced that included Indigenous and non-Indigenous athletes.[12]

Sports

Below are cases related to racial vilification in Australian sport. In several of the cases, there was no racial vilification proved. The list concentrates on cases at the elite level of sport relating to athletes, spectators and commentators but there is anecdotal evidence of racism in community sport. These cases consequently received wide media coverage. There appears an increase in cases related to fans either at sporting events or through social media.

Athletics

Australian rules football

Adam Goodes, indigenous Sydney Swans player
  • 2013 – Adam Goodes, a Sydney Swans player in a match against Collingwood Magpies at Melbourne Cricket Ground during the AFL's Indigenous Round was called an ape by a 13-year-old Collingwood supporter. Upon hearing the abuse, Goodes pointed the girl out to security and she was ejected from the stadium.[27] Goodes stated he was gutted by the comments but stated that: "People need to get around her. She's 13, she's uneducated." [27] Goodes subsequently was criticised by several commentators for pillaring a 13-year-old girl.[28]
  • 2014 – a 70-year-old man received a penalty notice for offensive behaviour after allegedly making racists comments about Sydney Swans players Lance Franklin and Adam Goodes during a match against Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium. The man was reported to police by other spectators.[29]
  • 2014 – Majak Daw, a North Melbourne Kangaroos player was racially abused in a match against Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium, Launceston. The male spectator was evicted from the ground.[30]
  • 2014 – Nic Naitanui, a West Coast Eagles player was racially abused three times by Vinh Phuc Nguyen on Twitter. Nguyen pleaded guilty to three counts of using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence. He was banned from contacting the Naitanui or other West Coast Eagles players and creating a Twitter account.[31][32]
  • 2015 – Adam Goodes, during matches played outside Sydney, was constantly booed by spectators. It was suggested that this may have been related to the 2013 incident (see above), to his speaking out on Indigenous issues during his 2014 Australian of the Year award, his playing style,[33] or a dance he directed at opposition fans during the Indigenous round.[34] However the booing was mostly attributed to racism, and in 2019, just prior to the release of two documentaries about these events (The Final Quarter and The Australian Dream), the AFL and all of its 18 clubs issued an unreserved apology for the sustained racism and events which drove Goodes out of the game.[35][36]
  • 2020 - Leroy Larson, a St Mary's Football Club senior player in the NTFL, was found guilty on 21 February of breaching the AFL's National Vilification and Discrimination Policy for a comment made against Tiwi Bombers forward Austin Wonaeamirri in NTFL round 17 on 8 February at Marrara Stadium and given a five-week ban. He had already used his one avenue of appeal to overturn a life ban in 2018. He was de-registered as an AFL player on 26 February.[37]
  • 2023 – More people have been reporting racial abuse against players. In April 2023, the AFL confirmed 23 reported incidents of racial abuse in AFL, VFL, and the Talent League games since the season began. Abuse had occurred on social media as well as at games. Four Indigenous players – Brisbane's Charlie Cameron, Adelaide's Izak Rankine, and Fremantle's Michael Walters and Nathan Wilson – had received abuse,[38] over a period of two days. The incidents were investigated by AFL's integrity unit, headed by social inclusion manager Tanya Hosch.[39] AFL executives anticipate that the upcoming 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum may lead to increased reporting of incidents of racial abuse, which is not a bad thing.[38]

Boxing

  • 1890s – Peter Jackson, who was born in the West Indies but adopted Australia as his country, was discriminated in the United States with several boxers including Jim Corbett and John L. Sullivan refusing to fight coloured men.[2]

Cricket

Indigenous fast bowler Eddie Gilbert
  • 1900–1930 – Several researchers have suggested that indigenous cricketers Eddie Gilbert, Jack Marsh and Albert Henry were discriminated because of their race by Australian cricket selectors.[1][40]
  • 2003 – Australia batsman Darren Lehmann was banned for five one-day games for yelling a "racially motivated obscenity" after he was run out during victory over Sri Lanka in the VB Triangular Series in Adelaide.[41]
  • 2006 – International Cricket Board investigated racial taunts by Australian cricket crowds at black members of the South African team during tour of Australia 2005–2006.[1][42]
  • 2008 – Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh allegedly called Andrew Symonds a 'monkey' during a Test match in Australia. Singh was handed a three-game ban for racial abuse but this was downgraded to a fine on appeal.[43]
  • 2018 – Nearly a dozen fans were ejected from the MCG in Melbourne for making racist chants towards Indian players.[44]
  • 2021 – Six Australian spectators allegedly directed racist remarks at two Indian cricketers Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj during the third test of India against Australia in Sydney. They were asked to leave the stadium as directed by the NSW Police.

Football/Soccer

  • 2000 – It was alleged that Perth Glory striker Bobby Despotovski had racially abused Melbourne Knights defender Ransford Banini by calling him a "black monkey". Despotovski denied this, and instead claimed that he had said "shut up monkey".[23]
  • 2008 – South Korean-born Lee Corey, a referee, abandoned a South Australian State League fixture between NAB and Port Pirie-based Northern Demons at thelstone Reserve due to numerous racial taunts by spectators.[45]
  • 2012 – Adelaide United fan was banned for two years after racially abusing Paul Ifill from the Wellington Phoenix at Hindmarsh Stadium. The fan was found to have breached the Football Federation Australia (FFA) Spectator Code of Behaviour. A member of the public identified the fan.[46]
  • 2014 – Ali Abbas Al-Hilfi , a Sydney FC player, alleged that Western Sydney Wanderers FC striker Brendon Santalab racially vilified him during a match at Allianz Stadium. The FFA Disciplinary Committee dropped the charges of racial vilification against Santalab, citing a lack of evidence and the possibility that Abbas may have misheard the comments made. Abbas was disappointed with the outcome.[47]

Hockey

Rugby league

Rugby union

Tennis

  • 1980 – Before Evonne Goolagong-Cawley's 1980 Wimbledon Championships final, an unnamed Australian Premier stated that he hoped that she "wouldn't go walkabout like some old boong."[2]
  • 2001 – Lleyton Hewitt was involved in a racism dispute whilst playing James Blake at the 2001 US Open. During the match, a black linesman twice foot-faulted Hewitt on crucial points in the third set and Hewitt asked the Swiss umpire Andreas Egli to remove the linesman. Hewitt said: " Look at him (the linesman) and tell me what the similarity is (beckoning towards Blake)". Hewitt said: "I don't think I said anything racial out there. It was a conversation between me and the umpire".[63][64]
  • 2009 – Brydan Klein racially abused South African Raven Klaasen by calling him a kaffir at a match at Eastbourne, England. Klein apologised and said: "It was not my intention to racially vilify my opponent or cause offence to anybody else and I am deeply embarrassed that I behaved in this manner. I deeply regret my serious error in judgment in using this word and I am very sorry for the offence this has caused." Klein was suspended by the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and the Australian Institute of Sport for six months and fined $14,000. He was also required to complete a racial sensitivity training course approved by the ATP. He later fined an additional $10,000 by the ATP.[65][66][67]

Sports Commentators

  • 1999 – Sam Newman appeared on Nine Network's Footy Show in blackface to impersonate Nicky Winmar, who was unable to appear on the show due to car trouble.[68]
  • 2005 – Rex Hunt apologised to Collingwood's Leon Davis for his commentary that: "Neon Leon hasn't lit up tonight, he's as black as a dog's..." during Collingwood's match against Essendon Football Club.[69]
  • 2006 – Dean Jones, a former Australian test cricketer, was sacked by Ten Sports, after saying on live television that: "the terrorist has got another wicket" after South African cricketer Hashim Amla, a devout Muslim, took the catch to dismiss Sri Lankan Kumar Sangakkara during the fourth test in Colombo. Jones apologised for the comment and said: "It was a silly and completely insensitive thing to say and, obviously, it was never supposed to be heard over the air. I am truly sorry to have caused offence to anybody and the last thing I intended was to be disrespectful." '[70]
  • 2010 – Mal Brown, a former Australian rules player, apologised for referring to aboriginal AFL players as "cannibals" and that he could not select Nicky Winmar or Michael Mitchell because "there were no lights" at the poorly lit Whitten Oval during a promotion for the E. J. Whitten Legends Game. The comments prompted AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou to express his disgust.[71][72]
  • 2013 – Eddie McGuire, Collingwood President and media commentator, apologised to Adam Goodes after suggesting Goodes be used to promote the musical King Kong. McGuire said "I'm happy to stand here in front of everybody, in front of the country, and say we do not stand for racial vilification. I let myself down because I had a slip of the tongue."[73]
  • 2013 – The ABC's rugby league commentator David Morrow apologised for a racist remark whilst broadcasting St George-Manly match at Jubilee Oval. Morrow, who did not believe he was on-air at the time, joked about the difficulty of seeing dark-skinned people at night. His comment: "Dats da only way you can tell when there’s anyone there, it’s when dey smile".[74]
  • 2014 – The ABC's rugby league commentator Warren Ryan was alleged to say "a line in a movie where the old darky says, someone says, 'quittin' time" calling the game between Sydney Roosters and Canterbury Bulldogs. Fellow broadcaster David Morrow was stood down and Ryan resigned. Ryan stated that: "The word used to describe the character was a direct quote from the film. There was no offence intended, so I won't be apologising. It would be insincere."[75]

See also

References

  1. Oliver, Paul (2006). What's the score? A survey of cultural diversity and racism (PDF). Sydney: Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission. pp. 7–11. ISBN 0642270015.
  2. Tatz, Colin (1995). Onstacle race : aboriginesw in sport. Sydney: UNSW Press. ISBN 0868403490.
  3. Evans, John; et al. (2005). "Indigenous Participation in Australian Sport: The Perils of the 'Panacea' Proposition". Cosmopolitan Civil Societies. 7 (1). Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  4. "Michael Long and Damian Monkhorst look back on AFL racism incident 20 years on". ABC News (Australia). 29 April 2015. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  5. Gardiner, Greg (1997). "Racial abuse and football : Australian Football League's Racial Vilification Rule in Review" (PDF). Sporting Traditions. 14 (1): 3–26. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  6. McNamara, Lawrence (2000). "Tackling Racial Hatred: Conciliation, Reconciliation and Football". Australian Journal of Human Rights. 6 (2): 5–31. doi:10.1080/1323238X.2000.11911041. S2CID 155749718. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  7. Soutphommasane, Tim Soutphommasane. "Australian sport and racial vilification". Australian Human Rights Commission News, 24 October 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  8. "Racial Hatred Act 1995". Australian Government Com Law website. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  9. Klugman, Matthew; et al. (17 April 2013). "The racist abuse suffered by Nicky Winmar is rare in footy now, but AFL culture is still bedevilled by assumptions of black inferiority". The Age. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  10. Walter, Brad (6 August 2015). "From Arthur Beetson to the modern-day stars: Why the NRL's Indigenous Round is worth celebrating". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  11. "Racism in sport". Play by the Rules website. Retrieved 10 August 2015.
  12. "Racism. It Stops With Me sport advert has timely launch". Australian Human Rights Commission News, 25 May 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  13. Knight, Ben (27 July 2012). "Athletics Australia can't ignore discrimination claims". Australian Broadcasting Corporation News. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  14. Lane, Sam (25 July 2012). "Steffensen had only to raise alarm, says AOC". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  15. Gorman, Sean (2010). "Sporting Chance: Indigenous Participation". Cosmopolitan Civil Societies Journal. 2 (2): 12–22.
  16. McNamara, Lawrence. "On the field and off the field : sport and racial hatred". Australian Human Rights Commission website. Archived from the original on 31 December 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  17. Gorman, Sean (1969). Brotherboys: the story of Jim and Phillip Krakouer. Allen & Unwin: Sydney. ISBN 1-74114-595-3.
  18. "'I'm black and I'm proud to be black': Nicky Winmar's gesture 25 years on". NITV. 11 April 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  19. "Williams apologises for racist remark". The Canberra Times. 31 August 1995. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  20. "Pumped Damien Monkhort Stretches Undermanned Bombers to Limit".
  21. Epstein, Jackie (19 April 2009). "Robbie Ahmat on Anzac Day". Courier Mail. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  22. "Anzac Day Heroes and Villains". Sportal website. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  23. Hagan, Stephen (2006). Australia's blackest sporting moments: the top 100. Darling Heights, Queensland: Ngalga Warralu Publishing. ISBN 1-921212-00-4.
  24. Gibbs, Stephen (26 March 2005). "Harrison has run his race". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  25. Cooper, Adam (27 June 2011). "Sherman banned over racist abuse". The Age. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  26. Rucci, Michangelo (16 March 2012). "Adelaide recruiter Matt Rendell quits over racism row". Herald Sun. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  27. Windley, Matt (25 May 2013). "Adam Goodes 'gutted' after 13-year-old girl's racial slur, who called the Sydney champion today to apologise". Herald Sun. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  28. "AFL taunts at Adam Goodes reignite racism row". BBC News. 29 July 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  29. "Police cheer sports fans who dob in racist, homophobic spectators". The Age. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  30. "Majak Daw abuse: 'Everyone can do something to stop racism'". Australian Human Rights Commission News. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  31. Robertson, Katie (11 April 2014). "Nic Naitanui 'Twitter abuser' 'banned' from social media attacks, contacting AFL star". Perth Now. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  32. Clarke, Tim (1 May 2014). "Guilty plea likely for racist tweets". The West Australian. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  33. Flannagan, Martin (4 October 2014). "Why do footy crowds boo Adam Goodes?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  34. Adair, Darryl (1 August 2015). "Man up? I see a man down: booing and being Adam Goodes". The Conversation. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  35. "AFL apologises unreservedly for failures over racism faced by Adam Goodes". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 7 April 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  36. Baum, Greg (7 April 2019). "AFL, clubs apologise to Goodes". The Age. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  37. Byrne, Conor (26 February 2020). "Racial vilification decision ends player's career". ABC News. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  38. Ryan, Peter (17 April 2023). "AFL 2023: Racism rampant as league braces for impact of Voice to parliament referendum". The Age. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  39. Australian Associated Press (12 April 2023). "AFL opens investigations into racist abuse of four Indigenous players". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  40. Whimpress, Bernard (December 1992). "Few and far between : prejudice and discrimination among Aborigines in Australian first class cricket 1869–1988" (PDF). Journal of the Anthropological Society of South Australia. 30 (1–2): 57–71. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  41. Knox, Malcolm (20 January 2003). "Wake up Australia, racism is a problem". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  42. "Racism shames nation: Cricket Australia". The Age. 31 January 2006. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  43. "Harbhajan Singh cleared of racial abuse". The Guardian. 29 January 2008. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  44. "Nearly Dozen Fans Ejected From MCG For Making Racist Chants". 30 January 2022.
  45. Migliaccio, Val (28 July 2008). "Referee race abuse furore". The Advertiser.
  46. "Adelaide United fan who racially abused Paul Ifill banned for two years". News.com.au. 24 December 2012. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  47. Smithies, Tom (10 April 2014). "FFA's independent Disciplinary Committee dismisses Brendon Santalab's racism charge". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  48. "Nova Peris: I have been subjected to racist abuse". The Guardian. 21 August 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  49. Holt, Monica (6 July 2003). "Tough times for Filipaina". Sunday Star-Times.
  50. Walter, Brad (25 May 2009). "Players call for action on slurs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  51. Walter, Brad (27 March 2004). "Langmack, Craigie to meet over racial abuse claim". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  52. Weidler, Danny (21 July 2002). "Race talk riles Preston". Sun Herald. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  53. Pritchard, Greg (5 July 2005). "Toughest sentence: Fletcher must say sorry to teammates". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  54. "Merritt, Mundine say omission racist". The Sydney Morning Herald. 1 May 2007. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  55. "Petero Civoniceva speaks out on monkey racism slur". The Daily Telegraph. 10 July 2008. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  56. Mark, David (14 June 2010). "Officials acknowledge racism in rugby league". ABC Radio. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  57. "Greg Inglis targeted by social media slurs". Australian Human Rights Commission News, 25 May 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  58. "WA Equal Opportunity Commissioner Allanah Lucas condemns racist abuse aimed at AFL's Nic Naitanui". Australian Broadcasting Corporation News. 15 March 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2015.
  59. "Sam Thaiday apologises for making racist comment | League | Sporting News". www.sportingnews.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2017.
  60. "NRL fans ejected from stadium after alleged racial abuse of Indigenous player Brent Naden".
  61. "Harrison apologises for racist taunt". The Telegraph. 16 March 2005. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  62. "Harrison suspended for three matches". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 March 2005. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  63. Harman, Neil (1 September 2001). "US Open: Crowd chide 'racist' Hewitt". The Telegraph. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  64. "Hewitt caught in race row". BBC News. 1 September 2001. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  65. Pearce, Linda (21 May 2013). "Angry young man disappoints". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  66. Schlink, Leo (20 June 2009). "Brydan Klein embarrassed by his racial slur". Herald Sun. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  67. "Australian Brydan Klein given six-month ban for racist abuse". Reuters India. 9 July 2009. Retrieved 6 August 2015.
  68. "Sam Newman refuses to apologise for televised exposure". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 August 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  69. Hogan, Jesse (19 July 2005). "Hunt apologises for racial 'stuff up'". The Age. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  70. "Dean Jones sacked after 'terrorist' remark". ESPNcricinfo, 7 August 2006. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  71. "AFL figure sorry for 'cannibal' remark – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 June 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  72. "Relationship will stay strong: Mifsud". Afl.com.au. 17 June 2010. Archived from the original on 20 June 2010. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
  73. "Eddie McGuire apologises to Adam Goodes for King Kong comment but will not resign". ABC News. 29 May 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2015.
  74. "ABC rugby league caller David Morrow sorry for 'racist' remark". The Australian. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2015.
  75. Proszenko, Adrian (7 June 2014). "Warren Ryan quits ABC job over racism row". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 August 2015.

Further reading

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.