Independent report says racism was present at Hawthorn

An independent report, prepared by a Deakin professor, says the treatment of First Nations players and their families when at Hawthorn constituted racism.

An independent report says the treatment of First Nations players and their families when at Hawthorn constituted racism.

The report, prepared by Deakin professor Yin Paradies and provided to AFL investigators, also said the families could be subject to “victim blaming” as a consequence of levelling claims of racism against Hawthorn and former coaches Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan and Jason Burt.

The report, commissioned by lawyers for the First Nations families, assessed the claims made by the families, including claims of separation, and also determined the impact on their health.

Prof Paradies, one of Australia’s research leaders on the health and societal effects of racism, also found that other First Nations players could now be reluctant to speak up if they were confronted with racism.

Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan during their time at Hawthorn.

“Ongoing instances of racism within an organisation or system are indicative of an environment that is tolerant of racism,” Prof Paradies said in his report.

“Such an environment tends to result in reduced trust in management … and perceived lack of organisational support to address and respond to racism.

“This would likely have a dampening effect on the willingness of First Nations players to speak out with their own experiences of racial vilification within the AFL system.

“Ongoing instances of racism are likely to be taken by First Nations players as an indication that racism is tolerated in the AFL and that there is scant chance of positive outcomes eventuating, following their reporting of racist experiences. In fact, in such environments, such reporting of racism is most likely to have negative repercussions, including victim-blaming.

“As noted in a study of racism on the field in Australian junior sport, any formal complaint of racial vilification would require a club to ‘save face by defending their player and denying the racism’. There is thus a tendency to informally investigate, but only as a symbolic non-performative act, with no expectations that any organisational or cultural change would result or that racism would be less likely as a result of ‘going through the motions’ of an informal investigation.’’

In May 2023, the AFL found no adverse findings against former Hawthorn coaches Clarkson, Fagan and Burt. Two investigations, one by Justice John Middleton and the other by Gordon Legal, found there was “no basis whatsoever” to support suggestions a subculture of racism had existed at Hawthorn during the club’s golden premiership era of 2008-2015.

They found the three accused club officials had behaved in anything other than a “caring” way for their players.

The Hawthorn racism scandal looks like it won’t be resolved anytime soon. Picture: Getty Images

The Gordon Legal report asserted there was “no sufficient evidence” to substantiate the vast majority of the claims made against the former Hawks trio.

Failed mediation talks in the Human Rights Commissions has now resulted in the claims being heard in the Federal Court.

Professor Paradies’ report will be tabled as evidence at the hearing.

More broadly, his report said the “ongoing incidences of racism” that had been made public were “highly likely” to be the “tip of the iceberg” in relation to the prevalence of racism within AFL clubs.

“Significant, transparent, authentic engaged effort to respond to racism within organisations can – and does – yield reductions in the incidence, prevalence and impacts of racism,’’ the report said. “As such, it is unarguably the case that the ongoing occurrences of racism within the AFL indicate a failure to redress racism and a neglect of the system change required to address the underlying cultural and organisational conditions that continue to allow racism to thrive within the AFL.”

The report said racism could result in “acute and chronic” emotional and psychological impacts for victims.

“The potential mental health impacts of racism include depression, anxiety, psychological stress and poor self-worth,’’ the report said.

“There is evidence that the wellbeing impacts of lack of action by bystanders and authorities is greater than the original impact of (vicarious) racism itself.”

Prof Paradies was part of a 12-person expert group on anti-racism, established as a key recommendation of Collingwood’s Do Better report.

Originally published as Independent report says racism was present at Hawthorn