Goodes accepts apology for teen's slur

The young girl who abused Sydney Swans star Adam Goodes has said she is sorry, write Jon Pierek and Deborah Gough.

May 26, 2013 — 3.00am

The AFL has condemned a 13-year-old girl for calling AFL star Adam Goodes an ''ape'' at the MCG on Friday. And Victorian Premier Denis Napthine promised a new school program to combat racism.

Speaking to Channel Ten on Saturday, the teary and emotional teen said she told Goodes: ''I'm the girl who called you an ape yesterday, I'm sorry for that.''

Shattered: Adam Goodes points to his abuser during Friday night's match against Collingwood.Credit:Andrew White

She said she was relieved she'd had the opportunity to apologise.

''When I called him an ape, he explained what ape means for indigenous people and he said that he doesn't hate me and that I've got to learn from my mistakes,'' she said.

''I'm sorry for what I said - I didn't mean it in a racist way.

''And I'm sorry to the football club and the AFL.''

The girl was at the game with her sister and grandmother.

Goodes revealed on Twitter on Saturday afternoon he had spoken with the teenage Collingwood supporter, who abused him in the final quarter of the Swans' 47-point win against the Magpies at the MCG on Friday night.

''Just received a phone call from a young girl apologising for her actions. Let's support her please,'' he wrote.

Goodes told reporters on Saturday he was ''heartbroken'' after the incident and couldn't bring himself to stay on the field to celebrate the team's victory in the indigenous round.

''I am pretty gutted to be honest. To win, the first of its kind in 13 years, to win by 47 points against Collingwood, to play such a pivotal role, it sort of means nothing,'' Goodes said.

''To come to the boundary line, to hear a 13-year-old girl call me an ape - and it's not the first time on a footy field that I have been referred to as a monkey or an ape - it was shattering.

''I turned around, and when I saw it was a young girl, and I thought she was 14, that was my initial thought, I was just like: 'Really, how could that happen?'''

Goodes said the blame did not lie with the young girl.

''She's 13 years old, still so innocent, I don't put any blame on her,'' he said. ''Unfortunately it's what she hears and the environment that she's grown up in has made her think that it's OK to call people names.''

The girl's mother said she was ''astounded'' by her daughter's actions but ''I don't think [she] even realised what she'd actually said''.

On Saturday, the girl was the target of abuse on social media sites. Goodes and AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou both urged restraint and called on the public to support the teenager.

Dr Napthine said on Saturday the incident was ''very, very disappointing''.

''There is simply no place in Victoria, and particularly on our football fields, for abuse based on racism, culture, gender,'' Dr Napthine said.

He said he would support a boost to school programs ''to make sure all young Victorians understand that this sort of abuse based on racism, culture, is totally and utterly unacceptable in modern society''.