Jase Burgoyne and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera consider police action after heinous racist abuse
Port football boss Chris Davies says the ‘disgusting’ vilification is taking its toll on Jase Burgoyne, who – along with close friend Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera – is thinking about taking it further.
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Close mates Jase Burgoyne and Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera are considering going to police after copping heinous racist abuse on social media.
The Port Adelaide wingman and St Kilda star this past weekend became the latest AFL players to highlight online racial vilification they had received post-game.
Both clubs vowed to support them if they chose to take the matter further.
Power football boss Chris Davies labelled the messages disgusting and vile while calling on the reporting of such incidents to be made easier for players.
Davies took note of the NBL’s precedent in charging a man earlier this month for racially abusing Adelaide 36ers import Montrezl Harrell via a direct message.
“We’re 100 per cent of the view that we need to elevate these situations into the future in order to get some change,” Davies said.
“We’ve got to respect our players enough to make it a little bit easier to report these types of things and maybe into the future some laws might have to change.
“We’re absolutely going to support our players and the AFL into the future to chase these types of issues down.
“We’re having that conversation with the AFL, we’re having that conversation with South Australian police.
“The AFL have got a responsibility to help the clubs to make these issues easier for the players involved if we’re keen to try to stamp it out.”
Long-time friends who had known each other since they were about eight, Burgoyne and Wanganeen-Milera shared the racist messages targeted at them after their round 18 matches.
Burgoyne’s comprised explicit comments about family members, while Wanganeen-Milera’s referenced sports betting losses.
Davies said Burgoyne, who turned 22 on Tuesday, was OK but such incidents took their toll.
“When the issue is not just about you, it’s about your family, it’s harder to take,” he said.
“Despite the broader public maybe being a little bit desensitised and over these situations, it impacts the people involved significantly and not just Jase and his family, but our other Aboriginal players.
“The people who do it (racially abuse players) clearly have their own issues.
“When you are talking about sexual violence as part of a text message, it takes it to another level.
“Unfortunately that’s what you’re seeing publicly for the first time, I’m seeing that regularly, which puts it into some context.”
Davies said sports betting was exacerbating the abuse players received.
He recalled retired Power duo Charlie Dixon and Trent McKenzie once reading him messages they had received after a game.
“It was another example of how modern society reacts in these situations, which was disturbing,” he said.
AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said on Monday hiding behind a fake account was cowardly.
“I want the people that have created these online accounts and racially abused our players to know that our game does not want you. Real fans don’t racially abuse players,” Dillon said.
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