Christopher Pyne: We must do better to rid footy of racism

We’ve come a long way in addressing racism in football, but the “Do Better” report reminds us there’s a long way to go, writes Christopher Pyne.

It makes me sick to the stomach to think that Indigenous Australians and Australians of African origin are still subjected to racial slurs in any forum.

The Australian Football League has been back in the spotlight because of an internal report that the Collingwood Football Club commissioned that found adversely against the club over its culture and handling of matters to do with race.

The “Do Better” report was conducted by Professors Larissa Behrendt and Lindon Coombes.

The findings of the report are damning for Collingwood. Among many things, the report found that there was a gulf between Collingwood’s public statements about racism and how it operated when dealing with racist incidents within the club.

The report concluded that Collingwood reacted to such incidents by circling the wagons to protect the brand and respond to a media storm, rather than addressing the root cause of the problem seriously and systemically. It found that players felt they were a victim twice – first as the subject of racism, and second because their complaint was seemingly not welcomed at the highest levels of the club.

The report made 18 recommendations. It is noteworthy that it was not publicly released when it was received by the club’s board last December but was leaked in early February, creating the firestorm that led to the premature resignation of Collingwood Football Club president Eddie McGuire.

Perhaps the board intended to release it after it had addressed the recommendations. Alternatively, the board may have hoped it could be dealt with internally and never see the light of day.

Either way, that was no longer an issue once someone leaked it to the ABC.

McGuire is a friend of mine. I have a high regard for his ability and energy. He is a high achiever in business, the media, the world of sport (rather than as a sportsman) and personally.

To preside over a football club as significant as Collingwood for 22 years is a testament to his ability.

His tenure has had its ups and downs, as has the club, which is hardly surprising across two decades.

But McGuire has always bounced back and led cheerfully from the front.

He would be the first to admit that he hasn’t always made the right call. Last week, he did pull the correct rein and he resigned.

It was an unhappy day for him but he did the right thing. A new president allows the Collingwood Football Club to renew. It could be argued that McGuire should have been left to put the pieces of the show back together, but most would agree the show needed to move on without him.

Eddie McGuire announces his resignation as Collingwood Football Club President effective immediately, as of February 9. Picture: Collingwood Football Club

The catalyst for the “Do Better” report was the allegations of racism at the club levelled by 199-game Collingwood player Heritier Lumumba.

The most memorable being that his unofficial nickname was “chimp”, but Lumumba says that was among the least of the hurtful racism to which he was subjected at Collingwood.

What I find particularly galling about racism directed towards non-white AFL players, whether at the AFL level or right through all levels of the game from school, club, district and state, is that everyone who loves the game will cite brilliant indigenous and African Australian players as being among the greats of the game and their personal favourites.

Yet, there are still incidents of casual racism at games, many of which go unreported.

The most famous being the racial vilification of star Sydney player Adam Goodes, in 2013, by a 13-year-old spectator.

But it wasn’t that long ago that a spectator threw a banana at our own brilliant Eddie Betts at an Adelaide Crows game.

We revere our greats of the game such as Gavin Wanganeen by naming part of the Eastern Stand at the Adelaide Oval after him, yet we are still grappling with racism in the change rooms before and after the game.

It’s got to stop.

The AFL has been a leader in addressing racial equality, particularly under the leadership of Gillon McLachlan. Calls for him to resign over the Collingwood imbroglio are misplaced.

The indigenous round, indigenous guernseys and welcome to country at matches have embedded in many people’s thinking the fact that racial equality is routine, not exceptional.

We have come a long way in the last decade in hanging a lantern on the issue of racism in football. What the “Do Better” report reminds us is that we still have a way to go.

Watching my sons and daughters playing football in the past few years, I have been heartened by the near absence of racism.

Whenever, the merest hint has crept in unwanted, the umpires, players, coaches and parents have given it no quarter. The reaction has been swift and widely supported.

While the controversy of the last fortnight shows there is still more to be done, things are changing for the better.

Long may it continue.