SFL racism: Players to attend Aboriginal cultural awareness programs following slurs in game
Racial slurs that stopped a local footy game this month have triggered a cultural awareness program for all players, clubs and coaches in the competition.
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Southern Football League players, club coaches, presidents and committee members will undertake cultural awareness training at the season’s end following a racial abuse incident.
The SFL suffered one of its darkest days earlier this month after spectators racially abused players during a match.
Port Noarlunga’s Ian Milera and Elijah Satala were subjected to racial taunts from Flagstaff Hill fans in the final quarter of their clash on August 1.
Milera said it was “one of the worst days” he had endured on the footy field.
On Wednesday, SFL president Craig Warman said the league would conduct compulsory education sessions at each of its clubs after this season finished.
He said the 40-minute presentations delivered by the league would be based around the SANFL’s vilification and discrimination policy.
The aim was to increase the understanding of Aboriginal culture, society and values.
Warman said education was the key to eradicating racism.
He hoped clubs would use the training to educate their supporters and members.
“We hope to roll it (cultural awareness training) out to everyone involved in our clubs,” Warman said.
“We will certainly be targeting players and officials and we will be leaving a copy of it for clubs to run through with their supporter base and members.
“We have had very few problems like this in our league but it’s happened.
“(But) we have to deal with it and get the message out that the behaviour just won’t be tolerated.”
Port Noarlunga released a video in response to the racial taunts and coach Clint Howes said the cultural awareness training was the first step to stopping racism.
“I think it’s fantastic,” Howes said.
“It’s a step in the right direction for us to continue educating ourselves and others in the community.
“If clubs are undertaking this education program, it’s pretty important they then spread the message to their supporters.
“If supporters can’t toe the line in regards to the standards and expectations then there should be sanctions or consequences for those supporters.”
Howes said the racial slurs had affected the players involved.
“They are very quiet individuals, so you can tell it had an impact on them,” Howes said.
“To the level it’s affected them, that’s a question I can’t answer … as a non-indigenous Australian I haven’t lived it.”
Flagstaff Hill president Neil Williams said his club did not condone racism and applauded the league for helping it deal with the incident.
“Myself and the Flagstaff Hill Football Club think this an excellent initiative,” Williams said.
“(It) will assist us in ensuring the competition is culturally aware safe and inclusive.”
The SFL was seeking an indigenous elder to help map a way forward as part of an investigation into the awful incident.
But Warman said on Wednesday an official from the Department of the Premier and Cabinet – SA’s government agency for Aboriginal affairs – would join the investigation panel.
The investigation panel, which will include league officials, will meet with the players involved, delegates from both clubs and the spectators, on Thursday night.
The panel will go through statements from both clubs and the spectators before making a decision on a potential penalty for the fans involved.
The match between Flagstaff Hill and Port Noarlunga was stopped for about five minutes midway through the last quarter when officials and other fans intervened in an attempt to stop the abuse, directed mainly at Milera and Satala.
Another indigenous Port Noarlunga player, who asked not to be named, said some people from the crowd targeted Aboriginal players with offensive and deeply personal insults, which The Messenger decided not to repeat in full.
He said a group of spectators taunted the players with racist comments such as “look at him … typical black fella and look at those black fella moves”.
“We were 10 goals down in the last quarter and they still wouldn’t let up,” he said.
“Some of the other words I don’t want to repeat, they were horrible and very offensive.’’
Ex-Glenelg SANFL livewire Milera, who booted six goals in Port Noarlunga’s 94-point loss to the Falcons at Flagstaff Hill, was so disappointed by the spectators’ actions that he went to the bench for the last few minutes of the game.
“(It) was probably one of the worst days I’ve had in my footy career,” Milera said in a Facebook post.
“Never thought I would experience it as we are just there to play footy.
“Racism is alive in Australia still and it’s just disappointing.’’
Picture and video courtesy of Achieve Video Marketing