Adam Goodes 'gutted' after 13-year-old girl's racial slur, who called the Sydney champion today to apologise
UPDATE: "GUTTED" Swans champion Adam Goodes has taken a phone call from the young girl apologising for her racist slur.
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UPDATE: SWANS champion Adam Goodes says he is "gutted" and couldn't celebrate Sydney's win last night after a 13-year-old girl called him an ape.
At a press conference this morning Goodes said the comment in the final quarter had left him devastated after Sydney's 47-point win over Collingwood.
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Read the full transcript from the press conference
The day Winmar stood up to racism
"To hear a 13-year-old girl call me an ape ... it was shattering," Goodes said.
"Racism has a face. It's a 13-year-old girl."
Goodes later revealed the girl had called him to apologise. He tweeted: "Just received a phone call from a young girl apologizing for her actions. Lets support her please #racismitstopswithme #IndigenousRound."
Just received a phone call from a young girl apologizing for her actions. Lets support her please#racismitstopswithme #IndigenousRound
— Adam Goodes (@adamroy37) May 25, 2013
The girl told Channel 10 news she was sorry.
"I didn't mean it in a racist way and I'm sorry to the club and the AFL," she said.
Goodes, one of the sport's most decorated indigenous players, stopped play to point out the girl to security staff following the offensive comment and she was later escorted from the ground by security staff.
Goodes said the fan's offensive remarks had shocked him.
"I was just like, really? Wow could that happen?"
"I don't know if it's the lowest point in my career, but personally I've never been more hurt.
"It felt like I was in high school again being bullied. I don’t think I’ve ever been more hurt by someone calling me a name. Not just by what was said, by who it came from."
AFL Community Engagement officer Jason Mifsud said he didn't believe there had been a spike in incidents.
"(I) just think they are by and large crowd-related incidents, they become more public and the reporting on them seems to be more frequent," he said today.
"But our understanding and knowledge is that they're still isolated incidents and they're not bays of people joining in the chorus any more.
"They are one or two individuals who have all been identified and subsequently all clubs have taken their own sanctions against them.
"It's another frontier that we're having to contend with, but it's in a positive sense in that it's not on the field.
Goodes' former teammate, Michael O'Loughlin, today said: "We can’t let this one incident spoil the whole weekend." He also urged the public to support the young girl.
Goodes urged restraint in the backlash against the girl who vilified him and said he hoped she would contact him to apologise.
"People need to get around her. She's 13, she's uneducated. If she wants to pick up the phone and call me, I'll take the call."
"I've got no doubt in my mind she's got no idea what she was calling me last night."
"It's not a witch hunt. I don't want people to go after this girl."
Speaking immediately after Goodes, AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou said he felt for the dual Brownlow Medalist and also for the young girl.
"It's disappointing that it occurred from a young girl," Demetriou said.
"We will do our best to contact her parents and offer support."
"You couldn’t help but be upset for Adam … because it affected him so much he had to leave the field of play.
"He, like us, will do what we can to ensure that this girl gets the assistance that she needs so we don’t have incidents like this happening again."
"What happened last night ... is extremely disappointing."
After the game, angered Pies president Eddie McGuire sought out Goodes in the Swans rooms immediately to apologise "on behalf of Collingwood and on behalf of football".
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Goodes pointed out the fan to security staff in the dying minutes of the game and the fan was escorted from the ground by police.
Goodes left the field immediately after the siren and was in the rooms for several minutes while teammates celebrated on the field.
Channel Seven commentator Matthew Richardson said Goodes seemed close to tears. McGuire said he was disgusted by the incident.
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"I wanted to apologise to Adam on behalf of football in general and ask that he would accept our apologies. He was gracious enough to know that it was a one-off person," McGuire told the Herald Sun.
"I said 'we won't stand for this, we have a zero tolerance'. He's been such a wonderful leader in this great week in our football code.
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"I just wanted to go in there, look him in the eye and offer him those apologies and he was good enough to shake my hand and show what a great person he is."
McGuire backed Goodes' on-field stance, which mirrored that of Magpie Dale Thomas two years ago when he pointed out a Collingwood fan in the crowd who racially vilified Gold Coast’s Joel Wilkinson.
Much respect for Adam Goodes on all fronts tonight.
— Joel Selwood (@joelselwood14) May 24, 2013
McGuire said the fan was being dealt with by police, but could not say whether further penalties would be applied by Collingwood.
"We're not CSI Collingwood, so that's not our go,'' he said.
"The police have got her. I think Adam ... has found out it was a young girl so I don't think he's going to go after her.
"All we can say is the Swans are a great side tonight, they flogged us on the field and then for that to happen really devastates you.''
"I said that we would find out what the hell has gone on,'' he said.
Something clearly said to Adam Goodes, sitting on the couch speechless and really flat! #bloodydisappointing
— Jack Riewoldt(@JackRiewoldt08) May 24, 2013
"They're saying it was a 14-year-old girl or whatever, I don't care. We'll go and tell her parents or whatever the case may be,
"We're not having this rubbish.''
Sydney coach John Longmire applauded McGuire's proactiveness after the game.
"Someone in the crowd said something to Goodesy, I think it was a young person,'' Longmire said.
'He was clearly upset and expressed that after the game. He doesn't want to take it any further. He's happy for the AFL to work through those issues and I'm sure they will.
''We're really appreciative Eddie McGuire coming to the rooms after the game, which is a fantastic gesture.''
Collingwood ruckman Darren Jolly reportedly told Goodes: “Please don’t let one person ruin your leadership this week” after learning of the slur.
Magpie defender Ben Reid, who’s brother Sam is a teammate of Goodes, said: "I saw Jolls pointing at the crowd or whoever it was and it's not acceptable and that person who said something to Goodesy should probably have a good hard look at themselves.”
Former Sydney coach Paul Roos said Goodes "was not one to jump at shadows" on Fox Footy after the match.
Not to assume the worst but to disrespect a legend on indigenous round is appaling.shameful she's only young too #fixuplooksharp #respect
— Nic Naitanui (@RealNaitanui) May 24, 2013
AFL players immediately jumped on Twitter to slam the conduct and stick up for Goodes.
"Much respect for Adam Goodes on all fronts,’’ Cats skipper Joel Selwood tweeted.
Jack Riewoldt said he was "sitting on the couch really flat’’ after the incident.
West Coast’s Nic Naitanui tweeted: "Not to assume the worst but to disrespect a legend on indigenous round is appaling.shameful she's only young too.’’
Readers and footy supporters also reacted strongly to the incident, taking to our comments page and Twitter, most condemning the racial slur.
Sydney reader “Kitty of Paddington” suggested “Collingwood should have O'Brien and indigenous players, Krakouer, Ugle or Yagmoor speak to the girl who allegedly vilified Adam Goodes, to explain exactly what it is like to be taunted by racist abuse! Whether it is AFL Indigenous round or not, to revile anyone because of race, sex or creed is offensive! As a Geelong supporter, I'm so proud of Joel Selwood's Tweet, supporting Goodes."
Point Cook’s Deb summed up the views of many when praising Adam Goodes "for the remarkable way you handled this".
"You are a champion in every way and you have everyone backing you.Thank you to Eddie McGuire for his apology and support."
Others believed it was education and not condemnation that was called for.
"Just maybe there should be an olive branch and the young lady concerned can walk with the indigenous people in the Long Walk to the MCG tonight as a gesture of reconciliation. Makes more sense than banning her from the footy and she might just learn something," “Barney Jack of Sunshine North”, wrote.
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