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Unis kick support Goodes’ way
Several institutions and campus organisations back former Australian of the Year amid AFL booing controversy.
By Andrew Bracey
Five Australian universities, along with several university-based organisations and departments, have thrown their support behind embattled Sydney Swans player Adam Goodes, while calling for an end to racism in sport.
At the height of the recent booing controversy, which sparked broad national debate, about 150 organisations co-signed a joint statement regarding the ongoing poor treatment of Goodes by AFL crowds. The issue came to a head following the Swans’ round 17 match against the West Coast Eagles in Perth, during which spectators consistently targeted the veteran with jeers.
The document, titled“ Joint Statement on Racism Directed at Adam Goodes –
Australia must and can be better than this”, was co-ordinated by Indigenous support and lobby group ANTaR. It calls for renewed efforts to stamp out racism in sport.
“ The booing, which has snowballed out of control this year since Goodes proudly displayed his culture during the AFL Indigenous Round, appears to be in large part racially motivated,” the statement reads.
Responding to repeated arguments from columnists and public figures, including former Australian cricketer Shane Warne, that booing individual athletes or their teams is simply part of the tradition of attending sporting events, the statement argues that“ to dismiss claims of racism as just banter is to use football as a shield for prejudice”.
“ Legitimate barracking for one’ s team is a tradition that has been alive as long as the game itself; but when such behaviour coincides with cultural displays and Goodes’ efforts to stop racism, it is clear that a line has been crossed to racial abuse,” the statement continues.“ To suggest that this kind of behaviour does not have an effect is to deny the evidence about the known health impacts of racism. These are not diminished simply because the person being subjected to racial abuse is an elite athlete. It is deeply disturbing that this kind of racism may influence whether a player decides to take the field for one match or is forced out of the game for good.”
The signatories warned that the failure to stamp out such behaviour sends a message“ to future generations of Australians about the forms of behaviour that we find acceptable in this country”.
Bond University, along with Edith Cowan University, Federation University, Flinders University and the University of South Australia, are signatories to the statement. In addition, Monash University’ s Castan Centre, the University of Western Sydney’ s Challenging Racism Project, and the Australian Human Rights Centre, based at the University of NSW, as well as the university’ s medicine department, have added their support to the document.
After being granted indefinite leave from his club amid the furore, Goodes sat out one match before returning for his side’ s round 19 away clash with Geelong. Local crowds showed strong support for Goodes although some booing was reported on social media.
Many of his supporters have urged the multiple premiership player and Brownlow medallist, who was also the 2014 Australian of the Year, not to quit the sport as a result of his public treatment.
UNSW vice-chancellor professor Ian Jacobs issued a statement praising Goodes’“ exceptional sporting achievements” which, Jacobs said, were matched by an“ outstanding commitment to eliminating discrimination and to supporting Indigenous Australians”.
“ UNSW Australia strongly believes that racism has no place in our society, and we look to role models such as you, who work tirelessly to instil this ethos in our community,” Jacobs said in his statement.“ I know that I speak on behalf of the UNSW community in expressing our deepest hope that you will keep playing AFL.” ■
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