AFL players says club betrayed them

First Nation players say they were separated from families and told children would ruin their futures.
Photo: Photosport

The players and families at the centre of the Hawthorn cultural safety review have released an open letter saying they were “betrayed” by the club and control of their lives was taken away from them.

The letter from former Hawks star Cyril Rioli and his wife Shannyn Ahsam-Rioli, ex-players Carl Peterson and Jermaine Miller-Lewis and Jermaine’s partner Montanah, as well as former Indigenous advisor Leon Egan, was published late on Friday.

It details the claims made by the families who prompted the review.

“We are some of the Indigenous families who endured racism at the Hawthorn Football Club,” the letter claims.

“We were separated from our families.

“We were told an unborn child would ruin our futures.”

The group have lodged a complaint with the Australian Human Rights Commission against the AFL club, alleging they “endured racism” at the club.

A lawyer representing the players and their families confirmed the complaint had been made to the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Four-time premiership coach Alastair Clarkson, former assistant coach Chris Fagan, and ex-welfare manager Jason Burt were accused of mistreating First Nations players and their families in the cultural safety review commissioned by the club.

Clarkson, Fagan and Burt have all vehemently denied any wrongdoing.

In September last year, the AFL announced an independent investigation in response to the cultural safety review commissioned by the Hawks.

At a late-night media conference on Tuesday, the AFL announced no adverse findings against Clarkson, Fagan or Burt over the Hawthorn racism allegations.

“We reached an agreement with the AFL not out of fear, but strength, because the AFL finally apologised to all First Nations players for racism in football,” the group wrote in their letter.

“We were never scared of being named,” they said, “We were worried about impacts on others.”

“We previously allowed these people to use their power to control our lives. It should never happen again.”

-BBC