Crows star Eddie Betts victim of new AFL racism scandal

THE AFL has a shocking new racism scandal on its hands after Crows star Eddie Betts was targeted in a vile attack.

Eddie Betts and Matt Crouch enjoy the Crows win. Picture Sarah Reed

THE AFL has a new racism scandal on its hands after Adelaide Crows star Eddie Betts was targeted by a Port Adelaide fan in a series of slurs on Facebook.

After the Crows defeated the Power in Saturday night’s Showdown, Maxine Spratt took to social media and reportedly called Betts an “ape”.

“Eddie Betts ... should go back to the zoo where him and his family belong,” Spratt wrote, in one post that was shared among 100,000 people.

Speaking to Seven News, the 31-year-old supporter at first defended her language, saying it stemmed from a dislike of Crows players and wasn’t intended to be racist.

“Well I just didn’t like the players, just don’t like them full stop, never have liked them, never will like them,” she said.

Asked by a Channel Seven reporter if she thought Aboriginal players would find being called an ape offensive, she replied: “Not all do. Some do, some don’t. I’ve got part Aboriginal in me and I don’t find that racist.”

Power ruckman Patrick Ryder was also reportedly targeted.

Crows star Eddie Betts.

Pratt, who has had her account deactivated by Facebook, revealed she has received death threats since making the derogatory comments.

“There’s been a few people that want to smash my face in and beat me and my partner up,” she said.

Her partner Kevin Edwards defended her actions. “It’s not her fault she doesn’t like these players,” Mr Edwards said.

Pratt, who offered an apology to Betts later in the Seven interview, is not a Port Adelaide member so the club is unable to ban her from coming to matches.

Port is also investigating separate incidents of alleged racism that took place during Saturday’s round three blockbuster, believed to be aimed at small forward Betts and Power ruckman Paddy Ryder.

The club released a statement on Monday night saying it was working with management at Adelaide Oval to get to the bottom of the matter.

“If a club member has been found to breach Port Adelaide’s spectator code of conduct the offender’s membership can be revoked indefinitely,” the club said in a statement.

Adelaide Crows CEO Andrew Fagan slammed the behaviour. “Our club strongly condemns any such behaviour and finds it abhorrent and disgusting,” Fagan said.

“In listening to our playing group and our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players in particular, it is clear how damaging and impactful racism is to them and their families.

“Our entire playing group and our club stand together on this, unequivocally.”

Port Adelaide supporter Maxine Pratt with her partner, Kevin Edwards.

Betts was also targeted in a match between the two South Australian clubs in August last year, when then 27-year-old female Port Adelaide supporter Alexandra Pelosi threw a banana at him.

Pelosi, who apologised to Betts in the aftermath, was fined by police for disorderly behaviour over the incident and handed an indefinite ban by the Power.

“This is all about education,” Betts said at the time. “No one is born racist ... it’s ingrained in them somewhere down the track. It all comes down to that, to be educated.”

Originally published as Crows star Eddie Betts victim of new AFL racism scandal