Posted: 25 May, 2013
Adam Goodes speaks of the hurtful remarks from a young girl that cut deep
Adam Goodes points out the source of the derogatory comments. (Photo: AFL Media)
Triple M On Sunday
New Video Emerges
Loner Collingwood fan captured apparently making racial slur against Adam Goodes.
Triple M On Saturday
The Triple M Footy Saturday Rub team could not believe in the year 2013, during the Indigenous Round, that the footy world is talking about a hurtful racial slur made by a teenage girl towards AFL star Adam Goodes.
Garry Lyon congratulated Goodes for the way he handled himself and also acknowledged MCC security, Eddie McGuire and the Collingwood Fottball Club "for being so proactive".
Lyon also said the matter was well-handled by the AFL and Sydney Swans.
Goodes said after the slur was directed towards him he had "never been more hurt".
James Brayshaw, Garry Lyon, Danny Frawley and Damian Barrett talk in depth about the situation below.
"I think this is a real line in the sand moment to be brutally honest," James Brayshaw said on Triple M Footy's Saturday Rub.
"A bit like Nicky Winmar all those years ago when he said I'm proud of who I am and I'm not copping this any more."
"I think we as a game, this might be the moment that where we turn around and go right we've had enough."
"A bit like the Mayor of New York years ago saying no-one will come here if we keep allowing people to get clubbed on the streets, so zero tolerance. You get locked up if you do it again, now it's the safest city in the world to walk around."
"We've got to make our grounds better to play on and to sit and watch in."
Adam Goodes Press Conference
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25 May, 2013 - 2:13PM
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Adam Goodes talks to the media about the hurt caused by racial comments during the Indigenous Round, 2013.
In this video: Adam Goodes
A gutted Goodes said society must learn how "a simple word like ape can cut so deep" when he faced the media on Saturday following Friday's night distressing racist taunt from a 13-year-old Collingwood fan.
Goodes stopped play during the final minutes of Sydney's 47-point victory to point out the girl to security following the offensive comment.
He was in angry but forgiving mood when he faced the media outside his team's hotel on Saturday morning.
"It felt like I was in high school again being bullied. I don't think I've ever been more hurt by someone calling me a name. Not just by what was said, by who it came from," he said.
"A simple word like ape can cut me so deep. It's derogatory. It not only hurts me, it hurts all black people everywhere."
"It's not a witch hunt. I don't want people to go after this girl. It's about education."
The 33-year-old said racism from players and fans had become less and less prevalent since he joined the Swans in 1999 but more work was needed to completely stamp it out.
"The message here is there's no place for racism in sport. There's no place for racism in society. I'm going to continue to stand up here and keep saying it until it is completely rid of."
"Coming to the football and you can just rock up and do your best – that's what it is about and we've created that environment. It's just that there are one-off people out there who are uneducated."
Goodes said it was up to society, and in particular parents of easily-led children, to instil into the next generation there was no place for racism.
"This is a young girl that has had no idea what she has called me – so it's (about) education," he said.
"People need to get around her. She's 13, she's uneducated. If she wants to pick up the phone and call me, I'll take the call.
"I want people to focus on the rest of Indigenous Round. There are another seven games left. It's a fantastic round of football and there is a lot to celebrate."
AFL chief Andrew Demetriou said the league would take action to support the offender with counselling.
"We will do our best to contact her parents and offer support," Demetriou said.
"You couldn't help but be upset for Adam … because it affected him so much he had to leave the field of play."
"He, like us, will do what we can to ensure that this girl gets the assistance that she needs so we don't have incidents like this happening again. What happened last night ... is extremely disappointing."
There also has been praise for McGuire going straight to the Sydney Swans rooms after the game to talk to Adam Goodes.
Eddie spoke to Triple M about what transpired on the night and how this incident affects not only AFL but all of us.
Racism. It Stops With Me
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25 May, 2013 - 2:50PM
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Tags: Adam Goodes, Sydney Swans
