Mark Korda pledges to implement ‘Do Better’ report as Joel Wilkinson questions his appointment

Mark Korda’s appointment has outraged many, including a former AFL player, but the new president has made a promise to the Collingwood faithful.

Collingwood Mark Korda art promo.

New Collingwood president Mark Korda has pledged to implement the recommendations of the infamous ‘Do Better’ report as the club comes under fire over his appointment.

The long-time vice-president, a renowned corporate recovery specialist, was unanimously voted in as Eddie McGuire‘s replacement at Wednesday’s board meeting.

His appointment has outraged many including former Gold Coast Suns player Joel Wilkinson who said Korda had been a party to racism at the club given he‘d been on the board for the past 14 years.

Korda has pledged to implement all the recommendations from the club’s report which found systemic racism.

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Eddie McGuire stepped down as Collingwood president after the club’s racism report was released.

“The Do Better report really addressed structural racism, which to be frank most of us didn’t really know much about, we are much more informed now and structural racism exists in the world, it exists in Australia, it exists in the AFL and exists in Collingwood,” Korda told SEN.

“We put our expert group together, (board member) Jodie Sizer is spending a lot of time on it. We want to lead in this area for the AFL and for society.

“Lots of resources are going into that and we had 18 recommendations laid out and every month at the board meeting we have people in the meeting tell us where we are up to because we’re serious that we will implement those recommendations.

“And so we should. Hopefully then we can help the rest of the AFL and help society to deal with things that many of us don’t even realise are so damaging to First Nations and other people.”

Wilkinson, who was racially vilified by a Magpies fan during his career, has been outspoken about the club’s failings regarding racism which ultimately led to McGuire’s demise.

1. Collingwood promotes Mark Korda after he was a part of the systematic racist board the past 15 years? How is that “real progress”? @CollingwoodFC continues to be corrupt and abuse their powers all for their executive power struggles, and at the expense of black people.

— Joel Wilkinson (@joelwilkinson) April 22, 2021

In a lengthy Twitter rant Wilkinson questioned how the appointment of a longstanding board member represented any change which the “Do Better” report was supposed to generate.

“Collingwood promotes Mark Korda after he was a part of the systematic racist board the past 15 years?” Wilkinson wrote.

“How is that “real progress”? Collingwood continues to be corrupt and abuse their powers all for their executive power struggles, and at the expense of black people.

“According to Collingwoods contract as a business, the board oversees and implements all key decisions. So the current board believes that this is progress and the way forward? ZERO policies have changed from Collingwood since that bs report.

“Most of these board members were present during Adam Goodes saga, corruption during my lawsuit and covering up their racist fans.

Joel Wilkinson has questioned Collingwood’s appointment of Mark Korda as president.

“Heritier Lumumba’s racism & lies and other players abuse. Why isn’t the board held to account like McGuire instead of promotion and adulation?

“Black players who went through racism Lumumba, Goodes, Wilkinson, Davis, Krakouer, Egan, Jackson, Winmar & more are the ones who suffered just for those corporate liars to even get promoted and tale racism/justice. Yet, not one of these players agree or accept any of this bs.

“Remember, Eddie McGuire wasn’t going to get sacked for racism. All he did according to the industry was “miss speak” his opening line. if he was so eloquent & sincere, he would still be president. They hide behind commercial & corporate language of “justice and progress”.

6. So this is your justice Collingwood and @AFL? White boys club huh. What leadership do @CollingwoodFC the AFLPA @Marsh_Paul and Gilly Mclachlan have (cc: @Brianwalsh2222), as they all make their own rules and have zero accountability for racism and themselves.

— Joel Wilkinson (@joelwilkinson) April 22, 2021

7.These people don’t give a shit about racism. I was only 1 of 5 people mentioned in the racism report & still I HAVE NOT received the report from Collingwood or been spoken to. Sponsors like @nike accept all this. It seems everyone is intertwined at the top of these corporations

— Joel Wilkinson (@joelwilkinson) April 22, 2021

“So this is your justice Collingwood and AFL? White boys club huh, What leadership do Collingwood the AFLPA @Marsh_Paul and Gilly McLachlan have (cc Brian Walsh) as they all make their own rules and have zero accountability for racism and themselves.

“These people don’t give a sh.t about racism. I was only 1 of 5 people mentioned in the racism report & still HAVE NOT received the report from Collingwood or been spoken to. Sponsors like @nike accept all this. It seems everyone is intertwined at the top of these corporations.”

In 2011 Wilkinson, then aged 19, was racially abused by Western Bulldogs rival Justin Sherman in his debut match for the Suns.

Originally published as Mark Korda pledges to implement ‘Do Better’ report as Joel Wilkinson questions his appointment