Hawthorn investigation First Nations families reveal identities with explosive racism saga statement

Four First Nations families at the centre of the Hawthorn racism saga have revealed their identities and released an explosive statement. READ IT HERE.

Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan while at Hawthorn in 2015. Picture: AFL Media

Families at the centre of the Hawthorn racism scandal have released an explosive statement and revealed themselves for the first time describing their eight-month ordeal as a “s***show” that “none of us deserved”.

Premiership hero Cyril Rioli, wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli, Carl Peterson, Jermaine Miller-Lewis and wife Montanah and former Hawks staffer Leon Egan say they have been “gutted” not to have had their stories heard by those at the centre of harrowing allegations.

And they are adamant that the three former Hawks staffers at the heart of their claims are anything but “exonerated”.

Three days after league chief executive Gillon McLachlan announced that the AFL’s independent investigation into the saga had been shut down and an “imperfect resolution” reached with the families, the group officially lodged proceedings in the Australian Human Rights Commission.

The group – which is adamant it “never asked for money” - say they are determined to ensure the “truths that they don’t want to hear” are heard.

“We are gutted that these so-called AFL role models weren’t prepared to listen to our truths through mediation,” the letter reads.

“We have always had the courage to listen to their truths too. That is our way.

“We were never scared of being named. We were never scared of what they would throw at us. We were worried about impacts on others.

Cyril Rioli and Carl Peterson at Hawthorn.

“It doesn’t change our truth. None of us deserved this public s***show – including them.

“But they have made their choice, and we will now bring them to a Human Rights Commission conciliation to listen to the truths that they don’t want to hear.

“And if they still won’t listen and learn then it will end up in the Federal Court where we will tell our truths in the witness box. But they will hear us one way or another.”

Former Hawthorn senior coach Alastair Clarkson, ex-Hawthorn football boss and now Brisbane coach Chris Fagan and former Hawks welfare manager Jason Burt were all named in Hawthorn’s cultural safety review as key figures in the explosive allegations including the separation of families and the urging for one player’s partner to have an abortion.

All three have strenuously denied all claims levelled at them.

The group which reached a resolution with the AFL on Tuesday night said what it claims to have occurred “can never happen again”.

Jermaine Miller-Lewis in action during a pre-season match. Picture: George Salpigtidis

“We reached an agreement with the AFL not out of fear, but strength, because the AFL finally apologised to all First Nations players for racism in football,” it said.

“They acknowledged our pain and hurt when we were at Hawthorn. They made a legally binding promise to us to combat racism in football.

“And the game will be safer for all First Nations families because of it. These blokes who changed the course of our lives have never been exonerated by the AFL.

“The Panel never made any findings because it was shut down. We previously allowed these people to use their power to control our lives. It should never happen again.”

The group further detailed the pain they say they have endured.

“We were separated from our families,” it said.

“We were told an unborn child would ruin our futures.

Cyril Rioli and Carl Peterson celebrate a goal while playing together.

“We were treated as special projects and control of our lives was taken from us.

“We told our truths in confidence, because we believed that it would bring change. And because we needed to heal and move on.

“That confidence was betrayed. We never asked for money.

“All we ever wanted was to sit with the coaches and officials we looked up to, and who had such control over our lives and our futures, and make them understand what we heard. What impact it had on our lives. And to listen to them tell us their own truths – even why they thought they were helping us.

“We also believe that with the passing of time that the Hawthorn Football Club will acknowledge that our suffering and pain was real.”

The AFL was contacted for comment and referred to its statement on Tuesday night where it said: “The AFL is only able to impose sanctions for breaches of AFL Rules on persons subject to the AFL Rules and respects the right of the various parties to the Investigation (and those who decided not to participate) to pursue claims in other legal forums. Today’s outcomes do not interfere with those rights.”

Originally published as Hawthorn investigation First Nations families reveal identities with explosive racism saga statement