Bombshell letter that flipped AFL’s Hawks racism investigation

A letter from Chris Fagan’s lawyers to a representative of the First Nations families helped flip the AFL’s Hawthorn racism probe on its head.

A letter sent by lawyers for Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan on Sunday helped turn the Hawthorn racism scandal on its head.

The email, obtained by the Herald Sun, detailed an impending legal move that would change the ball game for the four First Nations families at the centre of the saga and was described by one support person as a factor in the families’ decision to agree to a deal with the league.

READ THE FULL LETTER AT THE HERALD SUN

The families discussed the contents of the email with Zwier during a crisis meeting on Monday.

The letter gave the families until 4pm Monday to respond.

The prospect of a deal between the players and their families and the AFL appeared dead in the water on Sunday, but on Tuesday night league boss Gillon McLachlan announced the Hawthorn racism investigation was over and that no “adverse findings’’ were found against former Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson, former club football manager Fagan and former welfare boss Jason Burt.

Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan; Jason Burt.

In turn, the families agreed not to take legal action against the league.

The families, who had been determined to receive an apology from the former Hawks trio, were instead given a generic apology by the league to any Indigenous player who had suffered racism in the history of the game.

At least one of the families involved now regrets agreeing to the AFL deal in the belief they were used as a pawn aimed at resolving the eight-month racism dispute.

Fagan engaged law firm Clayton Utz after the scandal erupted in grand final week last year.

The former Hawks footy boss has repeatedly said he would welcome the opportunity to give his side of the story.

“I am not a party to the agreement between the complainants, the investigation panel and the AFL,” Fagan said in a statement on Tuesday.

“But I stand vindicated by it. I have made no concessions. There are none to make.

“I have always vigorously defended myself, and will always do so, as I have done nothing wrong.”

Clarkson, Fagan and Burt have all denied wrongdoing. Fagan and Zwier were contacted for comment.