AFL 2020: Aaron Hall, partner Sophia Absalom slam ‘disgusting’ Instagram racist

The partner of an AFL star has issued a stunning response on Instagram after a racist attack on her husband and daughter.

Aaron Hall and Sophia Absalom on Instagram.

The partner of AFL star Aaron Hall has delivered a response of absolute class after her family became the victims of a racist attack on Instagram on Friday night.

Hall’s long-term partner Sophia Absalom quickly called out a person on Instagram after a racist message was posted in connection to a photo of Hall and his daughter Penelope, who will celebrate her third birthday in December.

It came after Hall posted a heartwarming image of himself and Penelope on a beach in Queensland — where Hall is currently based for the remainder of the 2020 AFL season.

Hall and his North Melbourne teammates were forced to abandon Victoria to finish the 2020 season after the Victorian border with NSW was shut.

Hall’s beautiful photo was captioned: “Beach recovery with my little Moana”.

It was in the comments section under the photo, that Hall and his daughter were racially vilified.

“Should give the kid to a white family to rasie (sic),” the troll wrote.

“Might not end up on welfare.”

Aaron Hall posted this image to his Instagram story.

The comment was posted on Friday, while the photo was first posted more than a week ago.

Hall responded to the comment, which was branded “disgusting” by some footy fans on social media, within the hour, copying the sickening comment to his Instagram stories.

“Why??? Racism hurts man,” he posted.

Absalom also copied the troll’s comment and responded with a classy message on her own Instagram story.

“She (Penelope) lives in a multicultural family, with two loving and supportive parents who work hard every day to show her the best life,” Sophia wrote.

“Also, I’m a highly tertiary educated woman and with my education and morals love a man of colour, who I am very proud to call her dad.

Sophia Absalom posted this to her Instagram story.

“Please leave your uneducated and racist comments away from anybody, you have only embarrassed yourself tonight.”

The comment was reported to Instagram, but it was not taken down after site authorities were notified on Friday night.

If this comment doesn’t go against Community Guidelines, what does? Something needs to change @instagram pic.twitter.com/VMYo5qE22q

— North Melbourne (@NMFCOfficial) August 7, 2020

Absalom and Hall are preparing for the birth of their first son, due in October.

Hall has in recent years been one of the highest profile voices calling for racial equality in the AFL.

The former Gold Coast star helped lead his club in a powerful display in support of the Black Lives Matter movement earlier this year.

“It’s not blacks vs whites. It’s all of US vs racism, let’s unite together to put a stand against inequality,” he posted.

He said in June in a moving interview with the Hobart Mercury that he has been forced to become familiar with being called the “N” word and being called a “black c***” by vile spectators and social media trolls.

The 29-year-old Kangaroos star, who has a caucasian Aussie dad and a Fijian Indian mum, said in the interview he has decided to speak out on matter of social inequality for people like his daughter.

“I’ve got a daughter, Penelope. She’s two-and-a-half, and I have a baby boy on the way. I don’t want them to have to deal with racism,” Hall said.

Aaron Hall in action for the Roos.

“I want them to be comfortable within their skin.”

Hall said he is determined to call out racism in the interview — and that is exactly what he did on Friday night.

“There was a game where some guy called me a black c*** and I just brushed it off, laughed it off, which is what I’ve always done,” he said.

“Don’t feel guilty about not calling out racism, because I’ve been in those positions and I haven’t called it out either.

“I’ve chosen to laugh it off because I didn’t want confrontation, I suppose, whereas now it is not acceptable. If you walk past someone who is being vilified and don’t do anything, you are accepting what that other person is doing.

“Call it out.”

Originally published as AFL 2020: Aaron Hall, partner Sophia Absalom slam ‘disgusting’ Instagram racist