Heritier Lumumba exposes ‘damning evidence’ against Collingwood

Heritier Lumumba has hit back at those to trying to discredit him, explaining why he went along with a vile nickname at Collingwood.

Heritier Lumumba has hit back at those to trying to discredit him — explaining why he went along with the nickname “Chimp” during his time at Collingwood.

Eddie McGuire’s supporters have been pointing to an old AFL Record that has resurfaced online, in which Lumumba’s profile lists one of his nicknames as “The Chimp”, as proof he wasn’t offended by the name.

Today in a lengthy and heartfelt social media post, the former player explained what had happened. He said he “went along with the nickname and a lot of other racist behaviour in order to fit in” at the club.

“A 2007 player profile that was published by CFC & the AFL has my nickname listed as ‘chimp’,” he said. “Ever since I went public in 2017 with my experience, I’ve been consistent in saying that I initially went along with the nickname & a lot of other racist behaviour in order to fit in.

“The document is proof that the nickname did indeed exist and was widely known in the club. Some people are trying to use it as a means to discredit me, without realising that it’s damning evidence that works against CFC and the AFL.

Harry O'Brien’s profile in the AFL record.

“The #DoBetter report states that “structural racism occurs not through individual action but through policy, institutional culture, representations in media, laws, conversational norms and normalised behaviours.

“Player records were printed by the tens of thousands and distributed at games. How many people in leadership approved of this?

“While the nickname ‘chimp’ was overtly racist, sadly it was far from the worst thing that happened. Some things that were said and done resulted in verbal and physical altercations. “When I began to formally address the club’s racism, I was punished by the club’s leadership.”

1/ Eddie McGuire’s final speech as CFC president was somehow even worse than his last press conference. Denial, delusion and a complete inability to admit fault.

— Héritier Lumumba (@iamlumumba) February 10, 2021

Lumumba — who has taken legal action against the AFL club after blowing the whistle on what he claimed was racist treatment toward him and others — also criticised McGuire’s final press conference in the post.

He described McGuire’s resignation speech on Tuesday as “somehow even worse than his last press conference”, in which he described the release of the report as a “day of pride” and claimed the club was not racist.

“Denial, delusion and a complete inability to admit fault,” Lumumba wrote in a 15-part message on Twitter.

“The ‘CFC Do Better’ report was not a ‘response to the Black Lives Matter movement’, as McGuire suggested.

“CFC themselves announced the review was commissioned ‘following accounts of racism made by Heritier Lumumba’.

“The club cannot simply use Eddie’s departure to say they are moving on without addressing the extra damage he has caused in the last two weeks alone.

“If CFC thinks they can just wait this out and move on with whatever symbolic racial equality measures they have planned, think again.”