Hawthorn racism scandal over as settlement reached

After two days of mediation, a confidential resolution has been reached between Hawthorn and former players and their partners, MARK ROBINSON reports.

Hawthorn has apologised to its former Indigenous players and their partners after the two-year racism scandal reached a confidential settlement on Wednesday.

The resolution was reached “without determination of any parties’ allegations’’, which has closed the book on a saga that has rocked the football club and former staffers, Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan and Jason Burt since late 2022.

Four-time Hawks premiership hero Cyril Rioli and his wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli, former players Carl Peterson and Jermaine Miller-Lewis, his partner Montanah-Rae Lewis, and Hawthorn’s former Indigenous liaison officer Leon Egan had pursued legal action over alleged discrimination and negligence when they were involved with the club.

Cyril Rioli and Carl Peterson during their time at Hawthorn.

A joint statement released on Wednesday night said: “Hawthorn and the former players, partners, and their families have chosen to settle the Federal Court proceeding, without determination of any parties’ allegations, in the best interests of everyone.

“Hawthorn accepts that the allegations were made in good faith, and has heard, respects, and accepts that they represent their truths.

“Hawthorn is sorry and apologises that the former players, partners, and their families, in either pursuing a football career, or in supporting such a person, experienced ongoing hurt and distress in their time at the club.

“By the former players, partners, and their families sharing their truths and raising their allegations, this has provided valuable learnings for the club.”

The club thanked the former players, partners and their families for “their courage in providing this guidance”.

As part of the resolution, the Hawks have set up a First Nations’ Advisory Committee, which includes former player Chad Wingard, and developed a First Nations strategic plan with the expertise and advice from “several First Nations advisers, with experience from the AFL, Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and Victorian Government’’.

At the club’s future home at the Kennedy Community Centre in Dingley, cultural rooms will be given a “prominent position’’ and there’s the “potential inclusion of an outdoor community and ceremony space”.

“Hawthorn continues to learn from the experiences of the former players, partners, and their families and all people involved with the club,” the statement said.

“Hawthorn is committed to working with, and welcoming back, the former players, partners, and their families in the hope they will feel able to return to the Hawthorn Football Club.”

Previous attempts at mediation between all parties stalled, in part, over an appropriate written response to claims of racism made by the players and their families.

A source for the players and their families described the statement as “well-constructed and thoughtful”.

“It’s a really powerful statement for the cause of cleaning up racial prejudice in the AFL and in sport,’’ the source said.

Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan at Hawthorn. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Media

The matter is now also over for Clarkson, Fagan and Burt, who were named in witness accounts.

It was previously reported the Hawks could be forced to pay the coaches, including Burt, a financial settlement of more than $1 million for damages to their reputation.

Clarkson and Fagan attended last night’s AFL Draft in Melbourne and were sought for comment.

In September, human rights lawyer Kate Eastman was appointed as independent mediator in the long-running racism scandal, with the Federal Court ordering that mediation must take place before November 22.

At the time, a source said the Hawks were hoping the mediation would be successful so the scandal would not continue to hang over the club into the 2025 season.