Rita Panahi: The AFL’s handling of this is proving to be almost as shambolic as Hawthorn’s

What happened to Alastair Clarkson should shame the Hawthorn Football Club, the AFL, the ABC and the football media.

Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan. Picture: Michael Willson

What happened to Alastair Clarkson should shame the Hawthorn Football Club, the AFL, the ABC and the football media.

Those who have recklessly and viciously defamed Clarkson – and Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan and former Hawthorn player development manager Jason Burt – could face stark consequences if the trio exercise their legal rights.

All three have been slandered, based on the flimsiest of evidence, but it was Clarkson who faced the most monstrous, fanciful allegations which were uncritically accepted by the media.

The AFL, along with Hawthorn, could also pay a heavy financial price for the self-created calamity that sees the four-time premiership coach step down from his current role to focus on his “physical and emotional wellbeing”.

Chris Fagan, Alastair Clarkson and Jason Burt have been slandered, based on the flimsiest of evidence. Picture: Michael Willson

From the get-go Clarko and Co were deemed guilty and were not afforded the chance to prove their innocence.

The shoot first, ask questions later approach has endured and Clarkson is said to be particularly aggrieved at being denied the opportunity to present his version of events to investigators.

Deprived of any notion of due process, Clarkson is naturally frustrated and angry.

He has suffered through eight months of hell where he’s watched on helplessly as his good name has been dragged through the mud, all thanks to allegations from anonymous accusers in an obviously flawed, activist report that was leaked to the media.

It should also be noted that the report’s author, Phil Egan, has since been arrested and is expected to be charged on summons for allegedly stealing from a body set up to help indigenous communities.

Egan denies any wrongdoing and is innocent unless proven guilty.

That’s how it’s supposed to be in a civilised nation, but when it came to the former Hawthorn trio, there was no such restraint.

Clarkson has faced the most monstrous, fanciful allegations. Picture: Getty

Clarkson’s nightmare began when the report that was compiled without a single non-indigenous person being interviewed was leaked to the ABC, which proceeded to name and shame the accused while protecting the identities of the accusers.

The national broadcaster painted Clarkson as some sort of monster responsible for racist bullying and human rights abuses so egregious it led to two miscarriages and long-term trauma.

The rest of the media weren’t far behind, all eager to outdo each other with reporting that often amounted to race-baiting hyperbole.

Of course it doesn’t help that much of the AFL media has the political sensibilities of an overemotional 14-year-old girl who’s just finished reading The Communist Manifesto.

The media’s insatiable appetite for a big scalp saw opinion masquerading as news and the allegations treated as facts.

Nine’s Caroline Wilson referred to “Hawthorn’s racist past” as she called what were untested, often self-serving allegations “the greatest scandal to engulf the AFL”.

The national broadcaster painted Clarkson as some sort of monster. Picture: Michael Willson

She also reserved special praise for Egan saying “only the unusual mixture of blunt but sensitive questioning undertaken by Egan and his team could have led to this”.

ABC regular Jess McGuire tweeted: “There is simply no way to justify any of Clarkson’s behaviour, it’s like a horror film.”

Opportunistic politicians were also keen to join the pile-on including Greens leader Adam Bandt, who tweeted: “The reports of racist & sexist coercion at Hawthorn are sickening.”

Clarkson is being pressured to take part in what the AFL is calling a mediation process that requires him to submit to a list of demands made by his accusers including private and public apologies, contrition and termination of legal rights.

That’s not mediation in any sense of the word and Clarkson has done well not to be bullied into a flawed process which appears to have a predetermined outcome.

The AFL’s handling of this matter is proving to be almost as shambolic as Hawthorn’s.

The saga was supposed to be wrapped up in 2022 but is still ongoing with Clarkson thus far unable to give his side of the story to the supposedly independent four-person inquiry panel.

Is it any wonder that the injustice of it all has become too much for the North Melbourne coach who stepped down on Thursday for the sake of his health.

There is no return date but the club expects him to return. Kangaroos’ football boss Todd Viney believes he won’t be lost to the game.

“Certainly that’s a possibility … but we feel really confident that he just needs some time to heal and he can take control of the club again and help us get back to contending for silverware,” he said.

Clarkson deserves better than for his legacy to be tainted by this sordid affair.

Rita Panahi is a Herald Sun columnist