Q&A: Sporting world tolerates Floyd Mayweather’s abusive past because it’s dominated by men

IT’S not just about the boxing anymore. Mayweather may have won the ‘fight of the century’, and he may be filthy rich, but he’s losing at life in another, far more important way.

THE Fight of the Century might be over but the debate concerning its winner continues.

Floyd Mayweather’s history of violence against women took centre stage on Q&A on Monday night, with Federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt declaring it was the reason he was banned from entering Australia.

The undefeated boxing champion was refused a visa earlier this year after he was jailed in the US for attacking an ex-girlfriend in 2012.

And in recent days it has been revealed that he has racked up seven arrests and citations for attacks on women, including by punching them in the head.

The discussion over the controversial winner quickly moved towards society’s attitudes to violence against women and whether celebrities who attended the well-publicised boxing match in Las Vegas at the weekend should have boycotted in protest over his violent past.

Our panel responds to the question of Floyd Mayweather's history of Domestic Violence #QandA http://t.co/5XTZrLf1RA

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) May 4, 2015

Performance artist Adrienne Truscott, whose one woman comedy show, Asking For It, deals with the subject of rape and violence against women, kicked off the debate saying she thinks society has grown accustomed to it.

“There is an incredibly huge problem... it seems rampant throughout a lot of sports, especially sports that are male dominated and seem to require really aggressive male physicality,” Ms Truscott said.

“It’s no wonder it may spill out past their job in to different part of their lives,” she told the audience.

“There is a certain level of our society that is sort of accepting of violence against women.

“It’s one of the things that exists in our society and we just have to sort of get used to it or accept that it happens.

“The world is a difficult place and I think that if you don’t address why it happens and (address) the source of why it happens, you are never going to get rid of it.”

.@PeterSinger says safety warning from officials are reasonable but @mrs_truscott disagrees #QandA http://t.co/xRxCzW3blK

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) May 4, 2015

Philosopher and ethicist Peter Singer told the audience he believed Mayweather has not been shunned by the sporting world because it is dominated by men.

“If this was someone who attacked people because of their race then there would be no doubt he would be out of the sport,” he said.

“The sport couldn’t put on somebody who made a habit out of punching people because he objected to whatever race they were. And the same would be true of football and any other sport. So why is it you can punch women and the sport doesn’t argue? I guess it’s because these sports are male sports and you’re playing against or boxing or playing football against people of varying races but you’re not doing against women and so they don’t get a say in the sport.”

.@AmandaVanstone on cautioning young women and @Mark_Butler_MP says we must use the right language #QandA http://t.co/1CO2IMgaMV

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) May 4, 2015

Ms Truscott added that she believed the statistics for the number of women killed by their partners in Australia, around two a week, represented an “epidemic” and that if it were two men who died at the hands of their female partners each week then society would “sit up and take notice”.

“And I think we don’t take notice because we have grown accustomed to violence against women.”

Mr Hunt said the Australian Government refused Mayweather’s because of his criminal history and that he was surprised any sport would allow anyone with that level of domestic violence against women to continue.

Our panel responds to the question of Floyd Mayweather's history of Domestic Violence #QandA http://t.co/5XTZrLf1RA

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) May 4, 2015

Astounded to see Greg Hunt moralising on #QandA on violence against women Yet his Govt closed women shelters & regularly tortures #refugees

— PoliticsAustralia (@AustraliaVote) May 4, 2015

Panellists also discussed altruism, targets for reducing carbon emissions and whether Australia was being hypocritical over the executions of Bali 9 drug smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

Former Liberal senator Amanda Vanstone said while she was opposed to the death penalty, Indonesia has a right set its laws and that Australians should be upset at all the nations that still use the death penalty.

She also took a swipe at the Australian media for how the executions have been reported and agreed with the decision to withdraw Australia’s ambassador.

“If it were me and I was going to lose my life because I did something wrong then I think I would rather die instantly by taking a bullet to the heart than take 12 to 30 minutes as in some cases in the United States because they got the wrong drugs,” Ms Vanstone said. “I don’t see the outcry in the Australian media about that so I do think we are too faced about it.

“It’s not more wrong because its one our ours.”

Mr Singer agreed saying he thought Australia was being “highly selective” in our indignation over the executions.

Are Australians arrogant, hypocritical and ignorant of the Asian mindset? Our #QandA panel responds http://t.co/jgLfJQlo5Z

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) May 4, 2015

#qanda Fight of the Century - like war- is just a filthy rumour that the human race is intelligent!

— GeorgeNegus (@GeorgeNegus) May 4, 2015