Sam Newman, Mike Sheahan, Don Scott apologise to Nicky Winmar after mediation
After hours of mediation last month, Nicky Winmar has received an apology from Sam Newman, Mike Sheahan and Don Scott over controversial comments on their podcast. Here’s what they had to say.
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Sam Newman, Mike Sheahan and Don Scott have issued an apology to Nicky Winmar.
Last month they settled during mediation over comments made by the trio on their controversial podcast, You Cannot Be Serious.
They agreed to a formal apology and a rumoured $100,00 settlement for questioning the intent of Winmar’s famous jumper lifting moment to take a stand against racism in 1993.
After working through finer details, the apology was read out by Sheahan on their behalf and published on podcasting platform Podbean on Wednesday.
“I am reading this on behalf of myself, Michael Sheahan, Sam Newman and Don Scott. During our 23 June 2020 podcast we talked about Nicky Winmar lifting his jumper and pointing to his skin at the end of the 1993 Collingwood and St Kilda match during which he had been racially abused.
“We acknowledge that what Nicky did was an act of Indigenous pride and defiance. It was also a powerful statement of solidarity for Indigenous Australians who are subjected to racism and vilification.
“Any suggestion otherwise was wrong. We have reflected deeply on the issues.
“We accept that what was said during the podcast has damaged Nicky’s reputation. We understand many people would regard what we said as racially discrimatory of Nicky and of Indigenous Australians.
“For all these reasons we sincerely apologise to Nicky Winmar and to Indigenous Australians generally.”
After the fallout Sheahan quit the podcast, saying he had been shaken by the scrutiny.
“I don’t like unnecessarily hurting people,’’ Sheahan said.
Winmar and photographer Wayne Ludbey, who captured the moment, engaged lawyers following the airing of the podcast.
Newman and Scott have continued on the weekly podcast.