Power, Crows players take united stand against racism from the terraces
CROWS and Power players are standing united against racism in AFL football, as police report an Adelaide woman over a Facebook slur against Eddie Betts.
- Douglas Smith: Footy bigotry hurts all indigenous Australians
- Woman reported over racist Betts comments
- Racism row hits AFL after Facebook tirade directed at Eddie Betts
- Video of Showdown brawl between footy fans at Oval goes viral
THIS is the united face against racism in AFL football.
Crows and Power indigenous players stood side-by-side, with their club bosses, team leaders and coaches, at Adelaide Oval to send a message they will no longer tolerate racial slurs from the terraces.
The inspiring show of solidarity came as SA Police yesterday reported Maxine Spratt for allegedly racially sledging Crows forward Eddie Betts on her Facebook page.
And, Port Adelaide suspended the membership of a fan who taunted Betts and is urging a Crows supporter who vilified Patrick Ryder to enrol in a racial education program.
“We stand here — together with our Aboriginal teammates — to say they deserve more respect,” Power captain Travis Boak said. “We’re here to make a stance. Enough is enough.”
Crows captain Taylor Walker added: “We are united with a strong message — racism has no place in everyday life and certainly not in sport. And we will not tolerate it any more.”
Port Adelaide president David Koch also wants SA Police to charge the fans involved in the brawl on the Oval’s hill at the end of Showdown 42 with assault, after claims a female fan was “king hit” during the derby.
“We take that seriously — and we want police to charge (those involved in the brawl) with assault,” Koch said.
Expressing their disappointment, Boak and Walker said the abuse had to stop, and all players should be treated with respect.
The Port Adelaide and Adelaide football clubs stood together at Adelaide Oval yesterday — scene of crowd violence and racial taunting of indigenous players Eddie Betts and Ryder on Saturday night — to declare zero tolerance of racism.
Port Adelaide has suspended the membership of a fan who taunted Betts and is urging the Crows supporter who vilified Ryder to come forward to enrol in a racial education program.
Neither Betts nor Ryder, who originally did not want to be identified as a target of racial slurs, made public comments yesterday.
Walker told The Advertiser the slurs on Betts at the Oval and on social media had hit “our (indigenous) boys pretty hard”.
This is the second time Betts has been subjected to racial insults during a Showdown. A Power fan threw a banana on the field near Betts in the derby last August.
“This has rocked them, all of them,” Walker said. “They are a close group. And we feel for them, too, because we are united with them in saying there is no place for racism in our society.”
Boak revealed Ryder and his family had been shocked by the remarks made by a Crows fan who ran from the Oval when security staff were altered to his racist taunts.
“This has hurt Paddy’s family — and us as a football family — more than people think,” Boak said. “It makes us all angry. And it’s shocking that racism still exists in our society. We’re here, together, to say we want it to stop.”
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
Originally published as Power, Crows players take united stand against racism from the terraces