Public expects social leadership, says AFL

The AFL has a responsibility to show leadership on social issues according to the league’s chief executive Gillon McLachlan.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan: ‘People do look to us for community leadership’

The AFL has a responsibility to show leadership on social issues such as racism and same-sex marriage, according to league chief executive Gillon McLachlan.

The AFL boss, who conceded the past week had been difficult, was heavily criticised by Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett over a wide range of matters on Monday.

The former Victorian premier has since apologised for racially profiling staff at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium amid a backdown on the intimidatory tactics deployed by security at the ground.

But another critique from Kennett related to the AFL’s insistence on becoming involved in social policy issues, which he attributed to the security staff wearing “Behavioural Awareness” bibs.

“The AFL has tried to be the ­social umpire on every issue and that is wrong,” Kennett told The Australian.

“That is not why the AFL was set up. They were set up to administer the code of football.”

McLachlan yesterday said he had not heard Kennett’s commentary on this matter, which the Hawthorn president subsequently reiterated on Melbourne radio.

But the AFL boss is adamant the code should take a stand on certain issues given football’s prominence in communities around the country.

He stressed that supporters of the code did not have to be swayed by the view of the organisation. “People do look to us for community leadership … and I think our organisation is prevalent in every community and is a community leader,” he said.

“If you go to a football club, in most towns (it) is a core community institution. And so people look to the AFL, as their governing body, broadly for their position on social issues.

“I think we have a responsibility to do it and, to be honest, the public expect it of us. Not everybody agrees with that and I do want to make a distinction. We can’t lecture people on what they should think and do.

“People don’t see the difference but we don’t try and lecture and we make our positions clear so that people know where we stand and what our position is as a community organisation.”

McLachlan said it was incorrect to say the AFL would take a stance on every issue that polarises public discussion, saying it would only do so “where appropriate”.

When asked about whether the league would take a stance on global warming, he replied: “That I will leave alone.”

But McLachlan felt it important that the AFL, which instituted a racial vilification policy 25 years ago, state its position on same-sex marriage when quizzed in 2017 given football was a game for all.

“Everyone was being asked their view and I think it is appropriate when asked, ‘what is the view of your organisation?’,” he said on 3AW.

“That is not telling people what to do. We made that very clear.”

The AFL recently issued an apology to Sydney champion Adam Goodes for failing to stand up for the dual-Brownlow Medallist when he was the target of sustained booing throughout 2015.

A decision by Hawthorn players to wear Goodes’s No 37 on their backs while warming up before their clash with Sydney at the SCG last night angered some of their members. Hawthorn champion Shaun Burgoyne, who is on track to overhaul Goodes’s record for AFL games by an indigenous footballer, championed the cause.

He was among indigenous players to watch the recently released documentary The Final Quarter at a camp in Adelaide in February. Another documentary on Goodes, Australian Dream, will be released next month in Melbourne.

McLachlan said he was not aware of the decision reached by Hawthorn, which also received strong support from members and fans, but had no qualms with it.

“I think players feel strongly about it and they want to send a message and a statement. I don’t have any issue with it at all. People react the way they want to react,” he said.

“I didn’t know about it. I don’t think the AFL have to approve. It is a decision for the players and the clubs and it makes sense to me.”