Racism in sport in Australia has a long history, with instances dating back to the 19th century. Since the 1990s, numerous cases ofracial vilification have been reported, leading to sport organizations to address the issue through various measures.
Sport historianColin Tatz, in his 1995 research intoIndigenous 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 bookObstacle race: Aborigines in sport (1995), Tatz traces racism in Australia sport back to the 1800s.[2] Since the 1990s there have been numerousracial vilification cases reported in the Australian media, partly due to the increase in Indigenous athletes participating inAustralian Football League (AFL)[3] andNational 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. AnAustralian 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 inLong's racial vilification case againstMonkhorst.[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 mirrorRacial Discrimination Act 1975 and theRacial 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, theAustralian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) published the reportWhat'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 beingDreamtime at the 'G.[9] The NRL has an "Indigenous Round" and there is an annual game with theIndigenous 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]
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.
1888 – White sprinters refused to run against indigenous runners in the Sheffield Handicap held atThargomindah,Queensland. The boycott resulted in an Aborigines-only race being held.[2]
1903 – Queensland Amateur Athletic Association attempted to disbar all aborigines from athletics due to them “lacking moral character” and “lacking intelligence”.Australian Amateur Athletic Association rejected this discrimination attempt.[2]
1993 –St Kilda indigenous playerNicky Winmar was racially vilified by theCollingwood supporters during anAFL game atVictoria Park, Melbourne. At the end of the game, Winmar lifted his shirt and pointed to his skin and declared "I'm black and I'm proud to be black". This became an iconic image of racism in Australian sport.[18] Allan McAlister, Collingwood's President commented that Winmar and his team mateGilbert McAdam would be respected "as long as they conducted themselves like white people on and off the field".[2][15]
1995 –Essendon playerMichael Long accusedCollingwood'sDamian Monkhorst of a racial taunt during the firstAnzac Day match atMelbourne Cricket Ground. Long was not satisfied with the outcome of an AFL organised mediation session. However, this case led to the AFL introducingRule 30: A Rule to Combat Racial and Religious Vilification on 30 June 1995.[4]
1997 –Collingwood'sRobbie Ahmat claimed he was racially vilified byEssendon'sMichael Prior in the last quarter of that year's Anzac Day match. Prior claimed that he called Ahmat a "dumb cunt" rather than a "dark cunt". Prior was cleared at a tribunal hearing.[20][21][22][23]
1999 –Peter Everitt, aSt Kilda player racially abused Melbourne'sScott Chisholm after kicking a goal in the Round 2 match atWaverley Park. Everritt donated $20,000 to a charity of Chisholm's choice, undertook self-imposed four-match suspension including the loss of match payments and undertook a racial awareness training program. Everitt publicly apologised to Chisholm and his family and to the Aboriginal community.[25]
2011 –Justin Sherman, aWestern Bulldogs player was banned for four games for racially vilifying an unnamedGold Coast Suns player. Sherman was ordered to attend an education program and pay $5000 to a charity chosen by the Suns. He spent four weeks in theVFL while serving his AFL suspension.[25]
2012 – AFL's national community engagement managerJason Misfud claimed thatAdelaide Football Club recruitment managerMatthew Rendell suggested that clubs may adopt a policy of only recruiting Aboriginal players with at least one white parent. Rendell resigned as a result of the controversy regarding his comments. He apologised for his comments but believed they were taken out of context.[26]
Adam Goodes, indigenous Sydney Swans player
2013 –Adam Goodes, aSydney Swans player in a match againstCollingwood Magpies atMelbourne Cricket Ground during the AFL's Indigenous Round was called anape 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 –Nic Naitanui, aWest 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 2014Australian 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 andThe 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, aSt Mary's Football Club senior player in theNTFL, was found guilty on 21 February of breaching the AFL's National Vilification and Discrimination Policy for a comment made againstTiwi Bombers forwardAustin Wonaeamirri in NTFL round 17 on 8 February atMarrara 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.[42]
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'sCharlie Cameron, Adelaide'sIzak Rankine, and Fremantle'sMichael Walters andNathan Wilson – had received abuse,[43] over a period of two days. The incidents were investigated by AFL's integrity unit, headed by social inclusion managerTanya Hosch.[44] AFL executives anticipate that the upcoming2023 Australian Indigenous Voice referendum may lead to increased reporting of incidents of racial abuse, which is not a bad thing.[43]
2024 – The AFL implemented a "social inclusion clause" into its contract renewals withSeven Network andFoxtel specifying that commentator panels could not be all white men.[45]
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 includingJim Corbett andJohn L. Sullivan refusing to fight coloured men.[2]
1900–1930 – Several researchers have suggested that indigenous cricketersEddie Gilbert,Jack Marsh andAlbert Henry were discriminated because of their race by Australian cricket selectors.[1][46]
2003 – Australia batsmanDarren 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 inAdelaide.[47]
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][48]
2008 – Indian cricketerHarbhajan Singh allegedly calledAndrew 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.[49]
2018 – Nearly a dozen fans were ejected from the MCG in Melbourne for making racist chants towards Indian players.[50]
2021 – Six Australian spectators allegedly directed racist remarks at two Indian cricketersJasprit Bumrah andMohammed Siraj during the third test of India against Australia in Sydney. They were asked to leave the stadium as directed by theNSW Police.
2000 – It was alleged thatPerth Glory strikerBobby Despotovski had racially abusedMelbourne 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 atthelstone Reserve due to numerous racial taunts by spectators.[51]
2014 –Ali Abbas Al-Hilfi, aSydney FC player, alleged thatWestern Sydney Wanderers FC strikerBrendon Santalab racially vilified him during a match atAllianz 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.[53]
1980s –Olsen Filipaina, a New Zealand international, revealed he was racially abused when he started playing professional rugby league in Australia.[55]
2002 –Chris Anderson, coach of theCronulla Sharks was criticised for making the following comment regarding indigenous playerPreston Campbell: "If Preston wasn't black it wouldn't have created the media kerfuffle that it has."[23][58]
2005 –Bryan Fletcher, theSouth Sydney Rabbitohs captain gaveDean Widders, an indigenous player withParramatta Eels a verbal racist spray in an NRL game atParramatta Stadium. Fletcher was sacked as captain, suspended for one game and fined $10,000. Fletcher was also required to help Widders with his work in the Aboriginal community. Widders accepted Fletcher's apology.[1][59]
2010 –Timana Tahu walked out of theNew South Wales State of Origin camp after alleging that assistant coachAndrew Johns had racially vilified Queensland starGreg Inglis in a team meeting. Johns denied making the comments but stepped down from the team.[62]
2013 –Greg Inglis, the high-profile rugby league player and proud supporter of the Australian Human Rights Commission's Racism. It Stops With Me campaign, was the target of cyber racism.[63]
2014 –Ben Barba, aBrisbane Broncos player was subjected to racial abuse onInstagram. The offender was a Country Rugby League (CRL) player who was banned from participating in rugby league activities until he completed a cultural awareness program.[64]
2017 –Brisbane Broncos playerSam Thaiday apologized for making a racist comment on theNRL Footy Show. He said on the show, "I reckonHalle Berry was my first [crush]. That's when I went through myJungle Fever phase- liking dark girls there for a little while. But then I figured it out, if it ain't white, it ain't right."[65]
2001 –Lleyton Hewitt was involved in a racism dispute whilst playingJames Blake at the2001 US Open. During the match, a black linesman twice foot-faulted Hewitt on crucial points in the third set and Hewitt asked the Swiss umpireAndreas 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".[69][70]
2009 –Brydan Klein racially abused South AfricanRaven Klaasen by calling him akaffir at a match atEastbourne, 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 theAssociation of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and theAustralian 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.[71][72][73]
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 cricketerHashim Amla, a devoutMuslim, took the catch to dismiss Sri LankanKumar Sangakkara during the fourth test inColombo. 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." '[76]
2013 –Eddie McGuire, Collingwood President and media commentator, apologised toAdam Goodes after suggesting Goodes be used to promote the musicalKing 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."[79]
2013 – TheABC'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".[80]
2014 – TheABC's rugby league commentatorWarren Ryan was alleged to say "a line in a movie where the old darky says, someone says, 'quittin' time" calling the game betweenSydney Roosters andCanterbury 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."[81]
2024 – The AFL implemented a "social inclusion clause" into its contract renewals withSeven Network andFoxtel specifying that commentator panels could not be all white men.[45]
^Abanana has long been used as a form of racial abuse in sport,[38] originating in Europe and England in the 1980s.[39][40] It is intended to imply that the target is a monkey.[41]
^abcHagan, Stephen (2006).Australia's blackest sporting moments: the top 100. Darling Heights, Queensland: Ngalga Warralu Publishing.ISBN1-921212-00-4.
