The AFL will continue to focus on stamping out racism in light of two recent incidents involving players, the league’s social policy and inclusion manager says.
Key points:
- Showdown medallist Aliir Aliir was the target of an anonymous racist attack on social media over the weekend
- The AFL’s Tanya Hosch says attacks such as the one against Aliir are “pervasive” in society
- She believes there needs to be more reflection on what systemically enables racism
Port Adelaide Showdown medallist Aliir Aliir was the subject of a racist social media post after Saturday night’s win against the Crows at Adelaide Oval.
Just days earlier, former Crows captain Taylor Walker was suspended for six games for making a racist comment about an SANFL player.
AFL social policy and inclusion manager Tanya Hosch said for every high-profile case of racism publicised, there were many more that go unheard.
“I think we need to remember that this is just a few examples and it is far more pervasive than I think what we like to think about,” she told ABC Radio Adelaide.
Ms Hosch said being able to create anonymous social media accounts does give people the power to post abusive things online, but she had also seen people being racist under their own names.
“Certainly, in recent weeks, I’ve even seen people put their name to some pretty racist abuse online towards some of the AFL players,” she said.
“So there are people using that opportunity to be anonymous, but there’s also people who don’t even bother to do that.
“They’re quite comfortable to put their name to these things.”
AAP: Tracey Nearmy
)The league investigates everything that comes its way through the AFL Integrity Unit, and also forwards reports to the eSafety Commissioner.
New laws giving the commissioner more powers were recently passed by the Federal Parliament.
“We were very clear in our submission to the Federal Government when they were looking at expanding the eSafety Commissioner’s powers at the end of 2019,” she said.
“Unfortunately, they don’t reach royal assent until early in the new year, but they are doing everything that they can within the laws under social media to try to get these accounts cancelled.”
She said it was “extremely troubling” that people could use social media to vilify others while thinking it was an “inconsequential act”.
“We need to strengthen the education programs, but it’s not just about education,” she said.
“And I think on top of the education we need to spend more time talking about these things.”
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In a statement on Sunday afternoon, Port Adelaide Football Club called for an end to racism, such as that expressed towards Aliir.
“There is nothing brave or courageous about using social media to racially abuse or personally vilify a player,” the statement read.
“Racism is divisive and hurtful and has no place in our game or in society more broadly. It has to stop.”
‘We have a long way to go’
South Australia’s shadow minister for Aboriginal affairs Kyam Maher said over time there had been positive changes in society, but there was still a long way to go.
ABC News: Carl Saville
)“The way sport and particularly the AFL has over the years handled this has been an example to many other institutions and the rest of the community,” he said.
He said leaders needed to continue speaking out when incidents occur, as saying nothing means they can be “swept under the carpet”.
“Social media has many positive benefits of bringing people closer together but, of course, the anonymity that sometimes social media provides means that it is a difficult space,” Mr Maher said.
“I’m sure there is more that can be done between, primarily federal legislation, and the companies themselves.
“Again I think things are improving, I think things are called out more, I think people more often hit those buttons to report abusive or racist content, but yes there is more that can be done.”
