29 March, 2024
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Betts urges more AFL racism reviews

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Eddie Betts has called on all AFL clubs to review their historical treatment of Indigenous players amid the fallout from the fresh racism furore that has engulfed the competition.

The football futures of Alastair Clarkson and Brisbane coach Chris Fagan hinge on the findings of an independent investigation into racism claims described as “sickening” by the federal government.

Clarkson will delay starting his fresh appointment as North Melbourne coach, which was scheduled to begin on November 1, while Fagan has taken leave from Brisbane.

Former Hawthorn player development manager Jason Burt has also taken indefinite leave from his role at a Melbourne private school.

The key figures have indicated they will co-operate with the independent investigation.

The AFL has said all parties will be afforded “natural justice” by the panel of investigators, which is set to be appointed in the coming days.

Four-time premiership coach Clarkson issued a statement on Wednesday denying any wrongdoing.

Indigenous champion Betts was saddened but not surprised to learn of the racism claims at Hawthorn, and said some of the allegations reminded him of the Stolen Generation.

They include one player alleging Hawthorn coaches, including Clarkson and Fagan, told him and his partner to terminate a pregnancy and separate so the player could focus on football.

“This could happen at any football club,” Betts told Fox Footy on Wednesday night.

“And every football club should do a review like this.

“Every football club should come out and do an external review, contact the Indigenous players and past Indigenous players and see how that footy club was.”

Betts, who has publicly detailed his own experiences of racism in the AFL system and in life, praised the unnamed players’ bravery in speaking up as part of the Hawthorn review.

“It was a tough read, reading that today, but I wasn’t surprised,” Betts said.

“Aboriginal people, we’re not surprised as well, (because) we face these issues in many systems – in the education system, in the justice system, in the health system.

“It always comes back to what I’ve been preaching a lot, and that’s education.”

AFL executive member Travis Auld expects the independent panel to be appointed “over the next couple of days”.

Auld said the league will continue to consult respected Indigenous leader Betts on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players.

But it has not got as far as acting upon Betts’ call for all 18 clubs to conduct reviews into their treatment of Indigenous players.

“Right now the focus is on putting a panel together and starting this particular investigation because there are people that have been impacted, clearly, and we want to get to the facts as quick as we can,” Auld told reporters on Thursday.

“We’ll deal with the next steps after that.”

Auld would not be drawn on how long the investigation is likely to take.

“I don’t know the answer to that and I’m not sure we’ll be driven by timelines,” he said.

“What’s important is to understand the facts and talk to the people that have been clearly impacted by this.

“That will take as long as it takes.”

– AAP

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