Analysis University research on fans' views of racism in the AFL

[theacademic]

Hoping anyone with a spare few minutes can share their thoughts in my survey: https://doit.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qzEMac13Dw4X7E

Thanks in advance.

 

[Kwality]

It was hard to limit racism to the AFL alone, e.g in the State League days the VFL had so few indigenous players yet not WA & SA, and NT players were not a rarity.
To me the language from the crowd peaked in the 90s in Melbourne, & based on the comments by Tony Shaw & Gary Lyon, it was commonplace on the field.

It is good to see fans ready to criticise their own when they cross the line.

 

[Pessimistic]

Surely racism is low level in the AFL compared to general?

it’s the biggest game so any incident attracts massive media attention

Ffs when I arrived in Aussie in cricket they called Pakistan ‘pakis’ and mahatma coat was a TV star?

 

[Alesana]

Surely racism is low level in the AFL compared to general?

it’s the biggest game so any incident attracts massive media attention

Ffs when I arrived in Aussie in cricket they called Pakistan ‘pakis’ and mahatma coat was a TV star?

Wouldn't calling someone from Pakistan a Paki be the same as calling someone from Australia an Aussie?

 

[Monocle]

Completed the survey.

I must say that having been born and raised in WA, growing up, I was in the same class rooms and played a lot of sport with Indigenous kids, that was just life and the racist bit colour of skin was a non-issue in the sports that I played and in the play yards in general.
I did however, on occasions, hear racist comments in the WAFL crowds, but it was a rare.

Growing up and following the Krakouer Brothers at Claremont and being in absolute awe of the exploits of opposing players:
Stephen Michael, the Rioli's at South Fremantle ( Cyril and Maurice ), having watched Poly Farmer and Bill Dempsey at West Perth Barry Cable at Perth and the Narkle brothers at Swan Districts.
To but name a few.

As a kid I sat on my fathers shoulders, as a seven year old and watched my first ever Claremont Premiership in 1964, one of my favourite players was Irwin Lewis, father of West Coast Eagles Chris Lewis.

Irwin Played for Claremont as did his three boys : Clayton , Cameron and Chris.




In all honesty I cant say that I experienced much racism as either a player or a spectator in the WAFL.
That said I know from talking with Jimmy Krakouer that he did cop a lot of racial abuse from the crowds.



Fast Forward:

Now at the risk of being accused of " Vic Bashing ".

I worked and lived in Melbourne for a decade 1996 - 2006 and I was blown away with the amount of racial taunts that I heard in the VFL / AFL crowds.
Now I was never good enough to play VFL / AFL but some of my former teammates, played with West Coast in the early years and they said the racial sledging that Chris Lewis copped was unrelenting and deplorable.

Mick Malthouse has made reference to this on many occasions.

I am eternally indebted to the fact that I was so fortunate to be mates with indigenous kids in Primary School and beyond.
When you play as kids together from an early age, its the life you know and you see the person, nothing more nothing less.

So back to the Vic thing, I think that stems out of ignorance as I did note that, when living in Melbourne, there are / were hardly any Indigenous folk living in greater Melbourne region.

Society has come a long way since the football racial sledging and vilification that was around in the 90's.
Still got some way to go.

Oh and I are far from being free from vilification.

Now I have to admit that while I didn't indulge in racial vilification on the sporting field ( or life ), I am guilty of some very inappropriate comments of sexual orientation that I made, both to opposition players and umpires over the years, that I am now not proud of and am remorseful of.

So I acknowledge my shortcomings in my vilification of the gay community.

Education and awareness has been a wonderful start to remove the nasty practice of vilification of others.

Apologies I have crapped on for way to long.

I competed the survey to play my very small part in the change that's needed, to address all of societies inclusiveness.

 

[Pessimistic]

Sledging is designed to impact the sledgee so by default it’s the opposite of woke, or as they used to say in the old days ‘polite’

 

[theacademic]

Many thanks Monocle and anyone else who has completed the survey. It is still open if anyone has a spare few minutes to share their thoughts: https://doit.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qzEMac13Dw4X7E

 

[theacademic]

Last shout to see if anyone with a spare few minutes can help me out with my survey: https://doit.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8qzEMac13Dw4X7E

Thanks to those who have already participated.

 

[Toump Ass]

Done.
The survey's a little flawed IMO.

"Why do you think there has been racism among spectators at AFL matches?" is such a broad question it feels meaningless.
350,000 people+ from all socio-economic backgrounds go to the footy on the weekend during a normal season. There will be be racism at any public event of that size; you may as well ask "why does racism exist?".

This question follows "have you witnessed racist behaviour or language at AFL matches?" which doesn't directly specify spectators (which the above question does).
I personally don't care about racist fans.
I'm much more troubled by the racist behaviour and language I've seen from employees at AFL venues but there doesn't appear to be anywhere to capture this in your survey.

 

[theacademic]

Many thanks Toump Ass. I take your points on board. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[dropbear101]

i have a question with regards to who you sample. why didn't you include location. i have travelled all over wa and there is large difference in racism within my state. i imagine there is differences across australia as well. different parts of australia have different footballing histories especially prior to the afl. wa has always had large amounts of indigenous australians playing in the wafl. victoria has not had that. kevin sheedy is viewed as a football pioneer (although, i met a south australian once who stated he thought he was the first vfl coach to use common sense). kevin sheedy forced a needed change in the vfl, there was i imagine a backlash or a refusal (which would be grounded in racism). their was no backlash in WA. my grandmother (who is racist) believes fremantle do not pick enough indigenous players because and i quote "their better to watch and they are far better at football". that has always be viewed as a fact in wa.

this process of greater indigeous player making the top level is still ongoing. the two clubs who have the most indigenous games played are freo and port (who come from state leagues). port came in 1997 and still overtook clubs with great indigenous legacies like essedon, richmond and even west coast.

 

[theacademic]

Thanks for completing the survey dropbear101. We did consider location but left it out in the final survey. Thanks for the feedback and points you make.

 

[Clubs are trumps]

Haven't once heard a racist comment at the footy in over 200 games I've attended.

As for social media, immaturity coupled with anonymity makes trolling people easy. Teenagers in particular can say what they want without fear if they really want to.

Adults who make racist comments at the footy or on social media - you can try to prevent it as much as possible, but the reality is there is no benchmark of IQ that is required to attend a football match. Everyone knows murder and rape are evil, and despite every measure in place to stop it from happening it's an unfortunate part of society and reality that it will never completely be stopped. We build prisons which is basically accepting that evil will always be in society. Racism is the same. Not that I'm saying we shouldn't try to stop it. Just that it will always exist.

 

[mr bagcroft]

Unless you were old enough to go to the footy in the 70/80's, you have no idea on the progress on racism that has been made and should STFU.

 

[CaptchaProofBot]

Haven't once heard a racist comment at the footy in over 200 games I've attended.

As for social media, immaturity coupled with anonymity makes trolling people easy. Teenagers in particular can say what they want without fear if they really want to.

Adults who make racist comments at the footy or on social media - you can try to prevent it as much as possible, but the reality is there is no benchmark of IQ that is required to attend a football match. Everyone knows murder and rape are evil, and despite every measure in place to stop it from happening it's an unfortunate part of society and reality that it will never completely be stopped. We build prisons which is basically accepting that evil will always be in society. Racism is the same. Not that I'm saying we shouldn't try to stop it. Just that it will always exist.

not starting a s**t fight with you but consider

"Just that it will always exist."

now rewind a bit...

"Haven't once heard a racist comment at the footy in over 200 games I've attended."

I'd put it down to selective memory...like if you heard someone said "ah ya black c***" 10 years ago...you'd be not likely to recall it happening.

I stress, not starting a s**t fight with you at all.

 

[Clubs are trumps]

not starting a sh*t fight with you but consider

"Just that it will always exist."

now rewind a bit...

"Haven't once heard a racist comment at the footy in over 200 games I've attended."

I'd put it down to selective memory...like if you heard someone said "ah ya black c***" 10 years ago...you'd be not likely to recall it happening.

I stress, not starting a sh*t fight with you at all.

Not hearing anything probably has to do with I have sat in the same seat at Subi oval for years with the exact same people around me. If I was sitting in the alcohol section behind the goals with the riff raff there would be a greater chance. Maybe at the WACA in the 90's as a kid something was said but I don't remember it.