Eddie McGuire apologises to Collingwood fans over 'proud day' racism comments

Eddie McGuire says the shock of a report into racism issues at Collingwood being leaked to media contributed to the "proud day" gaffe which has prompted calls for his immediate resignation. 

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire last night admitted he deeply regretted labelling Monday’s release of its racism report as a “proud day”.

Coach Nathan Buckley – who falls out of contract this season – presented his 2021 gameplan to the Magpies’ board on Tuesday, but it was McGuire’s apology which headlined the club’s Annual General Meeting.

An embarrassed McGuire opened the virtual meeting by offering his latest public apology, this time forced to eat his unfortunate words as he blamed Monday’s gaffe on being blindsided by the Herald Sun publishing the damning racism document.

“I said it was a proud day for Collingwood, and I shouldn’t have,” McGuire said.

“I did not mean we were proud of past instances of racism and the hurt that it caused.

“It’s been interpreted widely that way, and I regret that deeply.

“I’m sorry that my error has acted as a distraction from the importance of the findings on racism and the work that lies ahead.

“Under the pressure of the day the use of the word ‘proud’ was wrong.”

Am I correct in my understanding that #Collingwood has an AGM tonight?

Perhaps why they were holding the report till next week. If I was a member I'd be very concerned about my clubs board willfully withholding important info until after the meeting.......

— Keeks (@keeks_1996) February 2, 2021

McGuire, entering his 23rd and final season at the helm of the Magpies, claimed the club “fully intended” to release its racism report, although the Magpies never planned on going public with it before last night’s AGM.

“From there (the Herald Sun releasing the report) we hastily consulted a number of people to clear a path to discuss the report publicly,” McGuire said.

“Over the course of an hour we answered every question. But in my opening I got it wrong.

“I meant to sincerely acknowledge not only the enormous work the club had done, especially Jodie Sizer and Peter Murphy, in bringing this report together.

“But also the work of all our staff and their preparedness to take a deep and uncompromising look into our past as a club.”

Collingwood’s reconciliation action plan committee met on Monday night to discuss the path forward after the club accepted it had responded poorly to acts of racism.

On Buckley, chief executive Mark Anderson said: “We are backing Nathan in. He’s enthused, he’s energized”.

Board member Paul Licuria added: “As we did with his previous extension it will be a full and thorough process”.

"I got it wrong. I said it was a proud day, and it wasn't." - McGuire #2020AGM pic.twitter.com/sJKabWSFJM

— Collingwood FC (@CollingwoodFC) February 2, 2021

Licuria conceded the Magpies “had some concerns with our salary cap” last year and were handcuffed at the trade table.

The Pies did not secure the full-forward they desperately crave, however Licuria said they were backing in their youth and would welcome explosive match-winner Jordan De Goey’s return to full fitness.

The Magpies made 2010 premiership stars Dayne Beams, Nathan Brown and Ben Reid life members.

Beams said there was “a lot of negativity” about McGuire.

But Beams thanked McGuire for his support during the turbulent twilight years of his playing career in a pre-recorded video message.

“I apologise to anyone out there who potentially has been hurt by my actions over the last couple of years,” Beams said.

“It wasn’t me. I’ve made some really poor decisions in the last couple of years.”

PREMIER'S MESSAGE TO MCGUIRE AFTER 'PROUD' RESPONSE FURORE

Premier Dan Andrews and former Labor leader Bill Shorten have joined AFL executive Tanya Hosch in questioning Eddie McGuire's use of the word "proud" following Collingwood's launch of its historic racism report.

The Magpies president claimed on Monday the emergence of the report’s detail — revealed in the Herald Sun — was “a day of pride” for the Magpies, proving their commitment to tackling the issue.

There are calls for McGuire to step down but Mr Andrews said "running away" from the issue of racism would not be showing leadership.

"I don't think running away from challenges is leadership whether it's at a footy club or any other role," Mr Andrews said.

"Yesterday was a sad event. It was very significant.

"You've got to acknowledge these things before you do something meaningful.

"At its core was an acknowledgment that this is real, it exists, it is hurtful and it absolutely destroys people.  

"We need to do everything we can to change that, and that starts with leadership. Running away from challenges is not the way you deliver better outcomes.

"If you commission a report, you front it, and you’ve committed to doing what you can to fix it.

"That’s a good thing, isn’t it? Not the issue. But the response?"

A defiant McGuire ­declared “we’re not a racist club” and disputed many of the review’s findings.

Speaking on ABC TV, Hosch said Collingwood had much to do before it could be proud.

"It's not a word that I would use, I think it was an incredibly sobering day," Hosch said.

"I suspect the sentiment he was trying to  express had more to do with the fact that they had taken this step, but again, proud is not a word that I would use.

"I think that when they start to do the implementation work of the 18 recommendations, getting to the end point there, and then working out what they have to do after they've completed that work, that's when you can start to feel proud."

Former Labor leader Bill Shorten, a diehard Collingwood supporter, also was also critical of McGuire's choice of words, saying it "probably was a mistake to say it was a proud day for the club".

"They've done a report and that's good of them, to do the report. But it has revealed, the author has said, that there’s systemic racism. I think Indigenous players are fantastic for AFL, more than I think 10 per cent of the list of AFL players are Indigenous. So, I think he if given the chance again, I wonder if he wouldn't use different words now," Mr Shorten said.

AFL executive Tanya Hosch says Collingwood has nothing to be proud about. Picture: Getty Images

Hosch said she would not be surprised if more players who have experienced racism in the AFL  to come forward.

"I think that it is important to acknowledge that Heritier has been incredibly brave and courageous in continuing to want to bring light to his experiences at the club," she said.

"It is really hard often for people to speak out against racism and if this does help people have the confidence to do that, that is a good thing.

"Because as I have said to others, you can't address a problem you don't talk about we do need to hear these stories"

Asked  if there was systemic racism within the AFL, Hosch said:

"Look I'm certain that if you did a review into the AFL's processes you would find areas where our systems are still not keeping up with dealing with these sorts of matters and in fact it's not too far away now where we'll be releasing a report ... a review of our vilification rule, which is seeking to address and improve some of those processes."

Asked how Eddie McGuire and the board stay in charge of the club, Hosch said:

"I think this is the same board that commissioned the report in the first place, it's incredibly confronting, there's not a lot of good news in it, but here is an important pathway there," she said.

"I think that Jodie Sizer being part of that group has ensured that the club is actually able to do this kind of work and that's where the change starts. You do have to do that self reflection and sometimes that's ugly, it's uncomfortable but it's the work that has to be done.

"None of that is as bad for Collingwood as it is for anyone who's experienced the racism through the club."

Shorten refused to back McGuire to see out the year running the club.

Asked if McGuire should move on, he said: "Eddie’s said that he's finishing up after 20 years at the end of this year, that's going to be a matter for him and Collingwood. I'm not going to stick my oar in there. I want to see racism relegated to the pages of history. They've released the report. I think it was uncomfortable to hear it. But we've just got to make clear to Australians in any sport, in any club, that Indigenous athletes, I think, enhance the sport, not detract. And they shouldn't be made to feel second class or unwelcome."

'WE'RE NOT A RACIST CLUB'

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire says he will not stand down after an explosive report into racism at the club.

Eddie McGuire, CEO Mark Anderson and members of the club’s Integrity Committee Peter Murphy and Jodie Sizer spoke today after the 35-page report was leaked to the Herald Sun.

McGuire declared it a "proud day" for the Magpies.

"This is an area fraught with danger and recriminations. We decided as a club that this fight against racism and discrimination of all types is where we want to be. We want to put in place not just good intentions but time effort and resources to achieve our goals," McGuire said.

"We make mistakes, we learn, we strive to be better."

He said the issue of racism was bigger than Collingwood and bigger than football.

"This is a play for humanity ... We can only try our best. It's as simple as that."

ROBBO: EDDIE MUST STAND DOWN TODAY

Collingwood President Eddie McGuire speaks to the media.

McGuire said the report wasn't about any individual players but Heritier Lumumba had been approached and declined to be part of the process. The former Magpies and Melbourne defender has claimed he was subjected to racism in his time at the club, and says the Pies did not take his allegations seriously.

"We want to engage with Heritier, he's one of our guys - he doesn't feel that way at the moment and it breaks our hearts.

"We're not a mean-spirited club, we're not a racist club, we're a club that tries to do well."

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said the league had received the report today and "will now formally review the information and recommendations".

“In commissioning an independent report, the Collingwood Football Club acknowledged it needed to take a different approach, a stronger direction when it comes to its processes of dealing with racism and ensured they recognised the seriousness of racism," he said in a statement.

“The mistakes of the past show that racism in any form or on any level is a serious issue and should not be interpreted in any other way. This report is an important step in the change Collingwood is implementing and demonstrates the seriousness in which the club takes the issue.”

McGUIRE ON HIS OWN LEGACY

"What's happened on my watch is this – we have commissioned this report, we have built all sorts of mechanisms to get involved in the community to looking after the homeless, many other aspects of life, and it stands absolutely head and shoulders above other organisations.

"There were plenty of things you look back on and say, 'Yes, we could have done that better', that's the same in any walk of life.

"At the time we did them as well as we thought we could, we just didn't have the processes in place.

“What's happened on my watch is we've built a fantastic club, we've commissioned this report, we've built all sorts of mechanisms for getting involved in the community … we look back and say, in 2021, what is it we need to do?

"It was not systemic racism, as such, we just didn't have the processes to deal with it that we do now."

Collingwood CEO Mark Anderson, President Eddie McGuire, Collingwood Integrity Committee members Jodie Sizer and Peter Murphy speak to the media.

McGUIRE ON HIS PRIDE TODAY

"This is a historic and proud day for the Collingwood Football Club. Today we embrace a leadership position on the most fundamental of rights – equality.

"We commissioned this report not to pay lip services to a worldwide tragedy, but to lay the foundations for our game, our people and our community.

"This is an area fraught with danger and recriminations. We decided as a club that this fight against racism and discrimination of all types is where we want to be. We want to put in place not just good intentions but time effort and resources to achieve our goals.

"We make mistakes, we learn, we strive to be better. But … we will continue to be a leading light in our community.

"We have decided as a club that this fight against racism and discrimination of all types is where we want to be.

"I am extremely proud. I've been here for a long time and we've done a lot of great things. And this is great. We want to do things that are good here.

"Part of what we wanted to do was find out what people who had nothing to do with us thought about football and thought about us … it was a report to find out where we are and where we position ourselves.

"That's what the whole Black Lives Matter lesson has been, certainly for me ... sometimes you just don't get it until you actually get it, and that's what we wanted to find out."

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Heritier Lumumba while playing for Collingwood in 2014. Picture: Michael Klein

ON HERITIER LUMUMBA

"Heritier was encouraged and asked to be part of this inquiry. It's his prerogative not to. There's been no individual deep dive into any particular situation. It's before the courts and we have no further comment.

"I spoke to a couple of the players today in the gym and they’re delighted with where this is going.

"We want to engage with Heritier, he's one of our guys - he doesn't feel that way at the moment and it breaks our hearts.

"We're not a mean-spirited club, we're not a racist club, we're a club that tries to do well."