Woman who threw banana at Eddie Betts during Showdown 41 spotted

THE woman who threw a banana at Crows champion Eddie Betts remained tight-lipped as she emerged from her home today — but her father said she was being demonised and her behaviour was out of character.

• AFL CHIEF: ’No one should doubt it’s a racist act’
• BANNED: Port acts swiftly over fan’s race disgrace
• WHY HIM? Eddie Betts, the AFL star who spent his career fighting racism
• PAUL STARICK: These ‘fans’ are turning people off AFL
• MARK ROBINSON: What a disgrace this woman is

THE woman who threw a banana at Crows champion Eddie Betts remained tight-lipped as she emerged from her home this morning — but her father said she was being demonised and her behaviour was out of character.

Port Adelaide member Alexandra Pelosi, believed to be 27, removed social media profiles on Sunday but is now believed to be prepared to meet with club officials on Tuesday.

A Port Adelaide investigation deemed that it was “clear that the offender’s behaviour was racially motivated”, while other Port fans sitting near the woman reported she had used racial slurs towards Betts.

Port Adelaide Football Club member services general manager Matthew Richardson said Ms Pelosi “quite clearly recognises that she’s made a terrible mistake and we’ll work with her on that”.

The Power’s Aboriginal programs manager, Paul Vandenburgh, said the club was “keen to get her to the club and hear her side of the story”.

“I think she’s pretty remorseful and really keen to have a chat with us — hopefully I can get her into one of our cultural awareness workshops and just talk about some of the things that have had an impact in the past 24 hours for us.”

Alexandra Pelosi emerges from her home this morning. Picture: Tait Schmaal

Don Pelosi, saying he was the woman’s father, called in to FIVEaa this morning to defend his daughter.

He said he is yet to speak to his daughter — who he said was 27 and lives with her mother — but she has gone to ground in the wake of the incident and is “shocked”.

“Trust me (I am her father), I’m the most honest person,” the man said.

“You won’t believe it, but my older sister rang me yesterday afternoon. I knew nothing about it.

“I knew the incident had occurred, and then there were people that I knew and I said ‘look, show me on the phone’, and there it was — my daughter.

“I am just absolutely shocked. I’m just beside myself. Because it’s just so uncharacteristic. This kid is a beautiful kid.

“She’s very similar to her mother — unassuming, honest. This was so uncharacteristic.

“You don’t know what kind of person (she is).

“She threw a banana in what, to me, was more in frustration. There’s a guy at St Kilda that used to irritate me — his name was Stephen Milne. If that banana’s thrown at Stephen Milne, no fuss would be made about it.

“You’re playing the racist game. I’m not condoning what she’s done.

“This is called media rubbish. Why do you people sensationalise things?

“(Should she be banned) totally? No. In this country, the law says you are innocent until you’re proven guilty. Sure, she’s committed an act. Why not give her the chance to explain?

“I haven’t spoken to her, because I can’t get hold of her. She has been ripped apart by this.

“Believe me, if you knew the young lady, you would say ‘what a shame’. If my daughter was a ratbag … I wouldn’t do what I’m doing. I know what this kid’s like.

“I’ve got a beautiful daughter and I’m proud of her and you guys are trying to demonise this kid.”

Speaking at their southern suburbs home on Sunday, Ms Pelosi’s mother suggested her daughter, who lives at home, was bracing for a possible police investigation.

“I am not going to talk to anyone about it,” she said.

“She is going to talk to the clubs, and maybe the police, but she is not going to talk to you.

“I am tired. I don’t like being rude to people but I am going to shut the door now. Are you the police? Well then if not, I am going to ask you to leave.”

It is understood police action against Ms Pelosi is unlikely and would require a complaint to be made.

Asked if her daughter wished to publicly apologise for her actions, she replied: “We are not going to say anything publicly. I am not going to talk to you. Anything she will say will be to said to the clubs in question.”

Alexandra Pelosi threw the banana at Eddie Betts.

One man in the crowd — Will — filmed the moment the woman threw the banana. He spoke on Triple M Adelaide’s breakfast radio program hosted by Mark Ricciuto and Chris Dittmar on Monday morning to explain what was going on.

“She was getting a bit louder towards the end of the game,” Will said on Roo and Ditts.

“It was only a small group, probably about four or five people, in this little area that were particularly racist.

“A person behind her was telling her to sit down and shut up, and I think was giving her a bit of a spray, then she ended up leaving.”

Ms Pelosi, who has been banned from Port Adelaide football matches indefinitely, appears to be a passionate Port supporter.

She was a prolific user of social media, particularly on club-related postings, many of which appeared to have been deleted.

Neighbours said the family were passionate Port supporters but “kept to themselves”.

“They are an intelligent family, I would be surprised if she did it, but clearly you just never know,” said one neighbour, who declined to be named.

“It is terrible what happened. It was certainly a step too far.”