Australia’s race discrimination commissioner has condemned the persistent booing of one of the nation’s most high-profile Aboriginal athletes, warning it has gone beyond sport and become a blight on the country.
Sydney Swans’ Australian rules football star Adam Goodes, a former Australian of the Year, has been the target of a barrage of jeers during matches this season, sparking fears he may quit after the abuse escalated and he ruled himself out of an Australian Football League (AFL) fixture this weekend.
Many believe it is racially motivated and stems from him taking exception to being called an ape by a young spectator at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2013, with the abuse reportedly intensifying after he performed an Aboriginal war dance during a match in May.
Australian Race Discrimination Commissioner Tim Soutphommasane has no doubts there are racial undertones.
“Let me be clear. There is no question that the booing is of an ugly and unedifying nature,” he said during a speech on Wednesday evening. “It has everything to do with Goodes standing up against racism and speaking out about indigenous issues. Goodes has been a public figure not afraid of challenging prejudice; not afraid of asking questions about Australian history and society. He has done it in ways that have made some people feel uncomfortable.”
New South Wales Premier Mike Baird called Goodes one of the sport’s greatest ever players and said it was “unacceptable” he was being treated in such a way.
AFL boss Gillon McLachlan also called for a halt to the “sheep-like” booing.
“I don’t know that we’ve ever had the issue that we have with Adam now about him being booed for 15 or 16 weeks,” he said.
“The vilification has got to stop. Because it is doing damage — not just to the game of AFL but also to our society,” Soutphommasane said. “
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