An independent report has found the Collingwood Football Club has a culture of "systemic racism"
An independent report into allegations of a culture of racism at the Collingwood AFL Club has found the club guilty of “systemic racism... that must be addressed if things are to change”.
Within two days of receiving a draft of the report last year, Collingwood President and Australian TV personality Eddie McGuire announced he would be stepping down from the role at the end of 2021 and will "spend the rest of (his) time as president setting up a new era of Collingwood".
THE CONTEXT
The highest profile events linking the Collingwood Football Club to incidents of racism occurred in 2013, when, during the AFL's Indigenous round, a 13-year-old Collingwood supporter called Sydney Swans Indigenous player Adam Goodes an "ape". Shortly after, Collingwood President McGuire likened Goodes to King Kong.
Last year, former player Héritier Lumumba spoke publicly about his experience. Lumumba, who has Brazilian and Congolese-Angolan heritage, is currently suing Collingwood and the AFL, alleging he was nicknamed "chimp" by his teammates, and ostracised by team leaders after bringing forward allegations of racism at the club.
WHAT WERE THE KEY CONCLUSIONS OF THE REPORT?
Ultimately, the report found the club's response to racist incidents was "at best ineffective, or at worst exacerbated the impact of the racist incidents". Investigators used evidence on the public record, and conversations with staff, players, ex-players and supporters to reach their conclusions.
The report contains a number of other key findings, including:
"The club is more likely to react to media coverage about a racist incident than complaints made within the club";
"There is a gap between what Collingwood Football Club says it stands for and what it does"; and
“While claims of racism have been made across the AFL, there is something distinct and egregious about Collingwood’s history.”
HAS THE CLUB TAKEN ANY STEPS TO CHANGE THEIR CULTURE?
The report acknowledged a "genuine acknowledgment of past failures and a strong desire to do better" and noted the appointment of a First Nations person to the board and the appointment of a new CEO committed to making change as positive steps taken by the club in the last 12 months.
THE PRESS CONFERENCE
Over the weekend, the report was obtained and leaked by the ABC. At a press conference held by the Collingwood Football Club yesterday to respond to the report, Club president Eddie McGuire labelled Monday "a historic and proud day for the Collingwood Football Club".
Yesterday, Lumumba said he felt "vindicated" by the findings of the report, but “the internal review only happened as a result of public pressure that built after I went public with my claims, and the report was only published at all because it was leaked". He also said McGuire's comments at yesterday's press conference were "shameful".