Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Russian Ministry of Defense: 37 Ukrainian drones destroyed in 4 hours over regions of Russia and the Black Sea.
Sheikh Qassem: Our supporters make up more than half of Lebanon's population, and all of these people are united under the banner of protecting Lebanon, its Resistance, its people, and its integrity.
Sheikh Qassem: There will be no phased handing in of our arms. [The Israelis] must first enact the agreement before we start talking about a defensive strategy.
Sheikh Qassem: Be brave in the face of foreign pressures, and we will be by your side in this stance.
Sheikh Qassem: Stripping us of our arms is like stripping us of our very soul, and this will prompt us to show them our might.
Sheikh Qassem: We will not abandon our arms, for they gave us dignity; we will not abandon our arms, for they protect us against our enemy.
Sheikh Qassem: The US efforts we are seeing are aimed at sabotaging Lebanon and constitute a call for sedition.
Sheikh Qassem: If you truly want to establish sovereignty and work for Lebanon’s interests, then stop the aggression.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States, which is meddling in Lebanon, is not trustworthy but rather poses a danger to it.
Sheikh Qassem: The United States is preventing the weapons that protect the homeland.

AFL to probe into Aboriginal 'family separation', abortion pressures

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 21 Sep 2022 12:22
5 Min Read

Allegations of racism at an Australian football club have caused outrage, with high-profile figures calling for an investigation.

  • x
  • Hawthorn Football Club flag.
    Hawthorn Football Club flag

The Australian Football League has recently announced that it will create an external independent panel to probe into the "challenging, harrowing and disturbing" allegations that the Hawthorn Football club separated Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players from their families, in addition to pressuring one couple to get an abortion. 

Shortly after the allegations arose, the CEO of Hawthorn, Justin Reeves, called the findings of the review in question "heartbreaking." The review alleged mistreatment of former players of First Nations, with Reeves remarking that the mistreatment came as “a surprise to everyone.”

Hawthorn launched the review after Cyril Rioli, a former First Nations Hawks star, accused the club of racist treatment in April. Reeves, on his part, said the process "wasn't an investigation as such," but rather a means of checking the welfare of Indigenous players and staff.

“I read the report like you guys today, and it is tough reading,” Reeves said. “It is heartbreaking … we are profoundly disappointed that some of our former players and their families feel like this about their experiences at the club.”

Read next: Victoria increases funding for Aboriginal cultural heritage

According to Reeves, the club received the report two weeks ago. However, it was "more complicated" for the club to react immediately. Gillon McLachlan, the AFL chief executive, said the governing body received the report about a week ago.

“We spoke to a really wide range of people who were at the club at that time and it has been a surprise to everyone that I’ve spoken to – the findings of that report,” Reeves said. “Unfortunately we haven’t been able to speak directly to those affected but certainly the people I’ve spoken to [were not aware] of these allegations historically.”

Peter Nankivell, the vice-president, said that the president, Jeff Kennett, was "devastated". 

“There is no other word for it,” he said.

“What we have seen today is a challenging, harrowing and disturbing read,” McLachlan said. “I acknowledge the hurt, the anger and the grief of people who have shared their experiences and told their stories and all of those impacted.

Chris Fagan, who is the head coach of the Brisbane Lions and a former Hawks staff member, said will take a leave of absence to fully cooperate in the investigation. 

The AFL executive, on his part, said that the AFL will “get to the bottom of it”.

“I want to say to the women and the partners and also the players who have shared their stories that our first priority is to you, and to provide the care and the support that you need. You have been heard, and as a support and a community, we will do our best to wrap our arms around you in support.

“It is important that we continue to communicate with you and to you. Your welfare is the most pressing priority for us because I know that sharing these stories is not easy, but it is important that you do, and we want to thank you all who have shared their experiences as part of this review.”

An independent panel will be set up within the next 24 hours, according to McLachlan. 

“We need to run a proper investigation to get to the bottom of it and this is important, out of respect for those making the allegations and out of respect for those being accused,” he said.

“We need to provide natural justice and allow the process to go on, but we will seek to have the panel in place and work with the Hawthorn football club to develop the report of the plays and partners involved to engage with them, to expedite it and not extend the trauma.”

He went on to say there is no need to release the report publicly, as it would breach confidentiality: “I don’t believe that it is fair for people who have had the courage to come forward on a confidential anonymous basis in this report, to then release it publicly,” he said. “They would be given a commitment it would be confidential. They were given a commitment they would be de-identified. Unless that changes, it’s very difficult to release the report.”

Linda Burney, the minister for Indigenous Australians, said the findings were "harrowing", while former Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge said they were a "shock to the system."

Read next: Indigenous MP blasts 'colonizing' Queen in oath of office

  • AFL
  • Torres Strait Islanders
  • First Nations
  • Australian Football League
  • Aboriginal people
  • Australia
  • Hawthorn Football Club

Most Read

Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, executive director of the defense division of the Israeli National Cyber Directorate, undated (Social media)

Israeli-born US prosecutor drops Israeli officer child sex crime

  • Politics
  • 19 Aug 2025
Almost instantly after the Helsinki Accords were signed, organisations sprouted to document purported violations, whose findings were fed to overseas embassies for international amplification. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

How ‘Human Rights’ became a Western weapon

  • Opinion
  • 23 Aug 2025
Israeli soldiers stand on the top of armoured vehicles parked on an area near the Israeli-Gaza border, as seen from southern Israel, Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025 (AP)

Palestinian fighters target Israeli soldiers, vehicles in Gaza

  • Politics
  • 21 Aug 2025
Launch of a ballistic missile from Yemen toward the occupied Palestinian territories. (YAF military media)

Yemeni Forces announce firing hypersonic missile at Al-Lydd Airport

  • Politics
  • 22 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime minister's office in al-Quds, Occupied Palestine, Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Netanyahu deliberately derailing truce with Gaza occupation: Hamas

Irish President Michael Higgins arrives to deliver his speech during a 42nd World Food Day celebration at FAO headquarters in Rome, on Oct. 16, 2023. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
Politics

Irish president renews call for UN military intervention in Gaza

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack speaks during an interview with The Associated Press at the US Embassy in Aukar, northern suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, Monday, July 21, 2025 (AP)
Politics

US envoy, Netanyahu discuss restraining attacks on Lebanon, withdrawal

Smoke billows following Israeli airstrikes in multiple areas in Sanaa, Yemen, Sunday, Aug. 24, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ansar Allah vow sustained Gaza support despite Israeli strikes

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS