AFL starts investigations into further racist abuse of four Indigenous players

April 12, 2023

The AFL’s integrity unit has commenced a probe into racial vilification of four Indigenous players on social media over recent days.

Racist slurs have been directed at Charlie Cameron of the Brisbane Lions, Michael Walters and Nathan Wilson of the Fremantle Dockers and Izak Rankine of the Adelaide Crows.

Commenting on the investigation, AFL Chief Executive, Gillon McLachlan said on Tuesday night “this has to stop.

“It not only hurts the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players targeted but all Indigenous players and players of colour across the league as well as their families, their teammates and friends.

“There is no place in our game for anyone who vilifies our players.”

Brisbane’s Chief Executive Greg Swann reported the abuse of Cameron to AFL officials on a day when Fremantle and Adelaide expressed disgust at their players being racially vilified.

Swann advised “I’m angry and disappointed that Charlie, and we as a footy club as well as an industry, have to constantly deal with this.

“It’s cowardly behaviour, hiding behind social media and abusing and attacking our players.”

A Lions supporter saw racial abuse directed on Cameron on social media and reported it to authorities.

Swann’s statement came just hours after Fremantle’s Chief Executive Simon Garlick detailed racist and homophobic abuse of Walters and Wilson.

The incident involving the Dockers came a day after Adelaide’s recruit Rankine reported being racially abused on social media.

The latest cases come only two weeks after Western Bulldogs forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan was racially abused by a spectator and also online.

Garlick added “this unnecessary and disgusting abuse should not happen and it saddens me, and everyone at our club, that it does.

“Individuals that hide behind fake accounts to hurt others are pathetic and we need to be able to curb this capability on social platforms. Enough is enough.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Adelaide’s coach Matthew Nicks branded abuse of Rankine as a “cowardly act”.

Nicks went on to say “he has got 100% support from everyone at the footy club.

“Things like this can bind you, a group come together, and we were able to show our support.”

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