The vitriol directed at Waleed Aly was shameful, writes Mark Robinson

SIMILAR to the Adam Goodes situation, where racists hid within the booing, bigots are now appallingly hiding within the hefty backlash against the AFL’s move to invite Waleed Aly to a meeting, writes Mark Robinson.

TV presenter Waleed Aly. Picture: Channel 10

THIS stinks like the booing of Adam Goodes.

Broadcaster Waleed Aly was invited by the AFL to a meeting with footy boss Steve Hocking to discuss the proposed rules changes and the booing of Aly began.

Similar to the Goodes situation, where racists hid within the booing, racists hid within the hefty backlash against Aly.

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Why the angst from people?

Why the hate?

Was he supposed to say no?

You had to stop reading the comments online to save your faith in humanity.

Aly loves football like everyone and he was granted an audience with the AFL which, it must be said, has had an audience with a hundred media types who it believes will support and help spread their campaign to “adjust” the rules of the game.

The AFL seems to govern by consensus in this regard.

When the Competition Committee was set up, they also set up what was loosely termed “Look of the Game” committee.

No committee actually exists.

Famously, Malcolm Blight, Mike Sheahan, Leigh Matthews and Gerard Healy were invited to the first sit down, where views were offered, discussed and some of them probably dismissed.

Prominent commentator Gerard Whateley was next.

Then followed discussions with various print media, radio media and TVs and just two weeks ago, all of the Footy Fox crew on a Friday morning.

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Waleed Aly attracted online hate after it was revealed he was asked by the AFL for his views on rule changes. Picture: Mark Dadswell

It’s done, in part, to spread the AFL’s messaging, to help massage the footy public to the need for change.

It’s also helpful research for media types when discussing rule changes.

Aly is keen on footy, has a huge TV audience, and is interested in the rules, so to the AFL he was a perfect opportunity.

The AFL probably asked Aly what he thinks about the extended goalsquare and reduced interchange and 6-6-6 because the AFL likes people to think they are important.

For that, Aly is whacked.

Would there have been the same vitriol if, say, Rob Sitch was invited to the AFL, or Ross and John from 3AW, or Jon Faine or even Bert Newton?

That Aly had to defend himself was appalling.

“I work pretty hard at (sport analysis) because you’ve gotta be across all sports (as a broadcaster) and it takes a lot of work. Any opportunity you get to get an insight into what’s actually going on, you take,” he said on SEN Radio

“I kind of felt, as a broadcaster, obliged to do that from a position of being informed rather than being in a position of being ignorant.’’

Malcolm Blight was one of many figures asked to discuss the future of footy. Picture: Tom Huntley

He’s fortunate enough to be a name, be friends with the head of AFLW Nicole Livingstone and host of a high-rating TV show.

He was invited in, not because of any multicultural positioning, but because he can help the AFL spread their rules propaganda.

It was a one-off meeting, just as the Blight, Matthews and Sheahan meeting.

The response hit all the hot buttons for hate commentary — AFL, rules, Waleed, Muslim, smug, intellectual.

The hatred was unfair and immense and was led prominently by Shane Warne.

Warne has a beef with Aly over his former foundation.

For others, it was less personal. It was hate.

To them, he is a uppity Muslim with strong opinions and high profile meddling in Australian rules.

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