Sam Newman says he didn’t start conversation that led to mediation with Nicky Winmar
Sam Newman has confirmed he has settled a dispute with Nicky Winmar through mediation, after comments that aired on his podcast. But the controversial broadcaster has defended his role in the saga and also revealed his thoughts on Mike Sheahan quitting after the backlash.
Confidential
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Sam Newman has put forward a defence of himself after last week’s successful mediation session with Nicky Winmar.
Newman, Mike Sheahan and Don Scott settled their highly emotional dispute last Friday after hours of mediation over comments on the You Cannot Be Serious podcast.
Nicky Winmar and photographer Wayne Ludbey launched legal action against the AFL identities who expressed doubts over the indigenous footballer’s motive for his iconic jumper lifting moment in 1993.
Newman on Tuesday said he was inadvertently dragged into it by Sheahan and Scott, and he also stood by his comments that Sheahan was weak for subsequently quitting the podcast after the backlash.
“The crux of this was that, Winmar felt that we had racially vilified him by discussing what the action of him lifting his jumper up was,’’ Newman said alongside Scott.
“He said he felt racially vilified by the fact we were discussing it and didn’t take what he said as the facts.
“We accept that and that’s how we came to mediation. If he felt aggrieved by that we went along to try and mediate a solution to that.
“I’m just saying I didn’t bring any of that discussion up. You and him over there who’s not here, who jumped ship, you brought that all up and I was just an innocent bystander for once.
“And suddenly I’m the person in the media, Newman and Winmar face off.”
Newman said it’s “got a little way to go yet” before an official apology is signed off and can be read out.
He said he was disappointed that parts of the mediation were leaked on social media.
“It’s been resolved and we’ve accepted our culpability and responsibility and we have resolved the matter because Nicky Winmar said he was offended and we accept that,’’ Newman said. “Thanks to you (Scott) and Mick starting this off and me just being an innocent bystander. “But we’re all just in this together except we’re not because someone has jumped out of the ship and into the lifeboat.
“We are disappointed in that and I’ve been getting bagged behind my back through various people and he has taken that to heart.”
Newman acknowledged all parties for reaching a solution.
“These people who are the moral arbiters of what is wrong and right in the community and think they can tell me (or) anyone who else who has an opinion, just because you have an opinion about someone from another race, doesn’t make you racist,’’ he said.
It was rumoured a $100,000 donation to an indigenous charity was made, along with the written public apology.
Sheahan, a former Herald Sun chief football writer, quit the controversial podcast after apologising.