AFL 2023: Matthew Nicks, Gillon McLachlan respond to racial abuse of Izak Rankine

Crows coach Matthew Nicks has lashed the fan who racially abused Izak Rankine on social media. And another player has been the target of ‘vile’ comments.

Izak Rankine was racially abused on social media. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Adelaide star Izak Rankine will play against Carlton as Crows senior coach Matthew Nicks called the racial vilification he copped online as a “cowardly act”.

The Crows announced on Monday that Rankine, 22, had been racially vilified.

Rankine, who made a highly publicised move to Adelaide from the Gold Coast in the off-season, received a racist personal message to his Instagram after the Crows defeated Fremantle on Saturday.

Rankine kicked three goals in the impressive win.

He stewed over the message on Sunday before informing the club about its existence on Monday afternoon.

The Crows have informed the AFL’s Integrity Unit, who can help with banning accounts and potentially finding out who was behind them.

Izak Rankine will face the Blues on Thursday night. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

The account Rankine received the message from had zero posts and zero followers.

On Tuesday Nicks said Rankine would play in the Crows’ Thursday night clash against the Blues to kick off Gather Round.

“I can’t talk to his mindset but I can tell you that we are putting all the support around him,” Nicks said.

“He has the full support of all around him, players, staff. We are right there for him and behind him to make sure he is holding up well.

“Yes he will (play), all things going well, we still have another session which is pretty much a captains run.

“I don’t want to speak for Izak, I can only speak about the support he is getting and he is looking forward to playing on Thursday night.

“He loves the big stage, he has been in good form.”

Nicks said when he found out that Rankine had been racially vilified he put “an arm around him” and asked “if he was OK”.

“I think it is just a cowardly act. It is targeted and it is by someone that is just trying to hurt,” he said.

Rankine kicks for goal. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“It’s not really a person as such, it is someone behind the keyboard and using that as a way to screen themselves away.

“Really disappointing. If someone is going to the time to cover up their identity, it is not an actual account and it has been never used that shows to me that we are not dealing with an actual human being.”

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said the league was working to identify the offenders.

“This has to stop. It not only hurts the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players targeted but all indigenous players and players of colour across the league as well as their families, their team-mates and friends. We strongly support all our players and condemn the racial vilification of anyone in football and anyone in the wider community,” McLachlan said.

“The AFL wants to make clear, there is no place in our game for anyone who vilifies our players.”

And a par-

Brisbane star Charlie Cameron was also subjected to abuse on social media at the weekend with what the Lions described as “vile, racist remarks”.

It comes as Fremantle revealed that Nathan Wilson and Michael Walters had been subjected to “vile, racist and homophobic abuse on social media”.

Like the Crows the Dockers have reported the attacks to the league’s Integrity Unit to try and identify the perpetrators.

CEO Simon Garlick said the Dockers were appalled by the remarks.

“This unnecessary and disgusting abuse should not happen and it saddens me, and everyone at our club, that it does,” he said.

“Individuals that hide behind fake accounts to hurt others are pathetic and we need to be able to curb this capability on social platforms.

“The club, and no doubt the broader Freo family, will get around the players and their families to ensure they have the support they need and deserve.

“In the meantime, I urge fans to use this conversation to call out racist and homophobic slurs for the abhorrent and archaic discourse that it is.

“It has no place in our game or in our community… enough is enough.”