Racism and the AFL: Something's Gotta Give

The AFL is yet again cloaked in a racism scandal. This time, former Hawthorn Coach, Alastair Clarkson, and former football manager Chris Fagan, among other Hawthorn officials, have been the subject of allegations that they were bullying and intimidating the club's Indigenous players. With great timing, the AFL Players Association released their Insight and Impact Report shortly after these allegations came to surface. Glaringly, the report detailed that almost a third of AFL players who identify as Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander or as a person of colour experienced racism while playing in the AFL. It is clear that racism is still a highly prevalent issue within the AFL workplace and that there is serious work to be done in addressing this issue. As the saga with the Hawthorn officials shows, and as the report details, players, coaches, administrators and fans need to continually be educated about the impacts of racism. Perhaps more importantly, there needs to be more education surrounding the role of each of these actors regarding their roles in the battle against racism. 


What the Hawthorn scandal also makes evident is the prevalence of the abuse of power in the industry. As Tracey Holmes of the ABC writes, the AFL has control over every aspect of investigations such as this, and it this is proving to be an issue when it comes to effectively addressing racism. It as questionable, as Holmes writes, who the AFL can investigate itself in light of these highly serious issues with a lack of consequences. Given the repeated cycle of racism allegations leveled at various clubs and the AFL as a whole, it appears that something more is needed. There are calls for an AFL wide independent investigation, as well as one into the allegations surrounding the Hawthorn football club. This may be a step in the right direction to addressing this issue, however the AFL cannot stop there. Various internal governance issues are raised here, and whether the AFL's internal governance systems are part of the problem. 


The current AFL policy on vilification promotes a commitment to 'ensuring safe, welcoming and inclusive environments for all people involved in Australian Football.' The current Hawthorn scandal begs to differ. This contrast raises various human rights issues, as well as other ethical issues regarding the rights of players. Evidently, the AFL must address the unfair and discriminatory workplace conditions that only some of its players are subject to. 


If you are interested in learning more about this issue please see the AFL Players Association Report here: https://www.aflplayers.com.au/app/uploads/2022/09/Edition-1-Insights-and-Impact-Report-final-singles.pdf 


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