Hawthorn racism: Hawks families revealed in open letter signed by Cyril Rioli

The complainants at the centre of the Hawthorn racism probe have been unveiled in a letter signed by Cyril Rioli and other Hawks players.

Along with Rioli and his wife Shannyn Ahsam-Rioli, the letter revealed four other parties, including former Hawks Carl Peterson and Jermaine Miller-Lewis, the latter's wife Montanah and former club indigenous adviser Leon Egan.

The letter states parties at Hawthorn 'betrayed' the complainants and described the investigation into the racism claims as a public 'sh*tshow'.

Results into the investigation were announced last week with the AFL stating there was no 'adverse findings' against the accused parties, which included Hawthorn, former coach Alastair Clarkson, ex-head of football Chris Fagan and former player development manager Jason Burt.

Clarkson stepped down temporarily as coach from North Melbourne recently, while Fagan is still the coach of Brisbane Lions.

Full letter from Hawthorn racism complainants

Open letter from Carl Peterson, Cyril Rioli, Shannyn Ahsam-Rioli, Jermaine and Montanah Miller-Lewis and Leon Egan

Dated: 2 June 2023

We are some of the Indigenous families who endured racism at the Hawthorn Football Club.

We were separated from our families.

We were told an unborn child would ruin our futures.

We were treated as special projects and control of our lives was taken from us.

We told our truths in confidence, because we believed that it would bring change.

And because we needed to heal and move on.

That confidence was betrayed.

We never asked for money.

All we ever wanted was to sit with the coaches and officials we looked up to, and who had such control over our lives and our futures, and make them understand what we heard.

What impact it had on our lives.

And to listen to them tell us their own truths – even why they thought they were helping us.

And we are gutted that these so-called AFL role models weren’t prepared to listen to our truths through mediation. We have always had the courage to listen to their truths too. That is our way.

We were never scared of being named. We were never scared of what they would throw at us. We were worried about impacts on others. It doesn’t change our truth.

None of us deserved this public shitshow – including them.

But they have made their choice, and we will now bring them to a Human Rights Commission conciliation to listen to the truths that they don't want to hear. And if they still won't listen and learn then it will end up in the Federal Court where we will tell our truths in the witness box. But they will hear us one way or another.

We also believe that with the passing of time that the Hawthorn Football Club will acknowledge that our suffering and pain was real.

We reached an agreement with the AFL not out of fear, but strength, because the AFL finally apologised to all First Nations players for racism in football.

They acknowledged our pain and hurt when we were at Hawthorn.

They made a legally binding promise to us to combat racism in football.

And the game will be safer for all First Nations families because of it.

These blokes who changed the course of our lives have never been exonerated by the AFL. The Panel never made any findings because it was shut down.

We previously allowed these people to use their power to control our lives . It should never happen again.

What were the historical racism allegations levelled at Hawthorn?

MORE: Chris Fagan to step away from Brisbane job during investigation into Hawthorn racism allegations

On September 20, 2022, it emerged former Indigenous footballers that had played at Hawthorn were alleging mistreatment of themselves and their families.

It is alleged several incidents occurred at the Hawks between 2008-16, including encouragement to a player's family to terminate a pregnancy and also the repeated isolation of Indigenous players from their families.

Clarkson was the senior coach at Hawthorn during his period, while current Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan was also at the club as head of football.

Both coaches and former player development manager Jason Burt were a part of the AFL's investigation.

Hawthorn respond to conclusion of investigation

Hawthorn delivered a statement later on Tuesday evening, acknowledging the "significant emotional toll on all those involved". 

"Hawthorn Football Club welcomes the decision by the AFL to end the Independent Panel process, reach an agreement with the complainants and make no adverse finding against any of the parties involved," their statement read.

"It has been a complex and delicate situation for everyone. We acknowledge that it has had a significant emotional toll on all those involved.

"The club is committed to continue to listen and learn to ensure we create an inclusive environment for our First Nations people.

"Since the panel was set up, the club has cooperated fully with the process, and we have always wanted to see it resolved fairly and quickly.

"Hawthorn thanks the AFL and the Independent Panel for their work during this process.

"The club hopes this creates an opportunity for healing and to address the hurt felt by many."

Full AFL statement

The AFL today announced outcomes in relation to the Independent Panel Investigation into allegations of inappropriate conduct at the Hawthorn Football Club.
 
From the moment that the Hawthorn Football Club’s Binmada report was leaked without any opportunity for input from the persons against whom serious allegations were made, it has been a period of high distress for all parties.
 
The AFL wishes to reiterate and acknowledge the significant emotional toll it has taken on everyone affected by this complex and delicate situation - those who told their stories and those who stood accused - and the public nature of how it has played out since late September 2022.
 
With this backdrop, any investigation was going to be challenging. We believe strongly, as we did in setting up the Independent Investigation in October 2022, that the appointment of an independent panel is and was the best possible way to deal with these serious allegations. The AFL thanks panel Chairman Bernard Quinn KC and panel members Tim Goodwin, Jacqualyn Turfrey and Julie Buxton for their work over the last seven months.
 
The purpose of the Independent Panel Investigation was to investigate relevant matters and make recommendations to the AFL including as to whether any persons should be the subject of disciplinary action for breach of AFL Rules and the resolution today should be viewed through that lens.
 
The AFL is only able to impose sanctions for breaches of AFL Rules on persons subject to the AFL Rules and respects the right of the various parties to the Investigation (and those who decided not to participate) to pursue claims in other legal forums.  Today’s outcomes do not interfere with those rights.
 
Today the AFL, and the six complainants (“Complainants”) who took part in the process (“Parties”), with the endorsement of the Independent Panel including panel Chairman Bernard Quinn KC, have resolved as follows;

1. No adverse findings have been made in the Independent Investigation against any of the individuals against whom allegations have been made (“Individual Respondents”).
2. The Complainants wish to resolve all differences with the AFL.
3. As a result of this agreement, the Complainants do not wish to pursue the Independent Panel Investigation (which they wholeheartedly supported), or make any claims against the AFL in any other process (including the AHRC) or Court in relation to their allegations.
4. The Complainants agree that their allegations should not be further investigated by the Independent Panel.
5. The AFL has now terminated the Independent Panel Investigation with the consent of the Complainants with no charges to be brought against any Person subject to the AFL Rules as a result of the Independent Investigation.

The Parties make the following acknowledgements:

1. The AFL acknowledges each one of the Complainants feels hurt, pain and anguish following their time at the Hawthorn FC.
2. The Parties acknowledge that the manner in which their allegations were leaked to the media was not in any party’s best interests.
3. The Complainants acknowledge that the Independent Panel established by the AFL was a positive and constructive process for their allegations to be fully and fairly investigated in a culturally safe way and that they have only agreed to the termination of that process because of this agreement.

This agreement does not preclude the AFL from bringing a charge under AFL Rules against Hawthorn FC with respect to the commissioning and oversight of the Binmada Report.  
 
The AFL greatly values all players and officials in our game and commits to working with all the clubs and all its people in continually improving the environments and ensuring they are welcoming, supportive and understanding of everyone who comes to our game.
 
There have been hundreds of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players who have played our game and who have collectively played more than 25,000 games.  
 
The AFL knows that during the long history of our game there have been instances of racism and that players have been marginalised, hurt or discriminated against because of their race and for that we say sorry.
 
The AFL further commits to devoting significantly increased resources to its continuous improvement model focussed on measures to combat racism and the improvement of cultural safety of First Nations players and their families in the AFL and AFLW.  We are wholeheartedly dedicated to meeting our obligations to make the game stronger and safer for all players, and we understand that requires us to continually address our structures and systems, and to this end, the AFL agrees to undertake a series of initiatives listed at the bottom of the statement.
 
Bernard Quinn KC, the Chairman of the Independent Panel said: “The panel supports the agreement and outcomes that have been announced today in connection with the investigation of the past several months and I can confirm that as part of the agreement the work of the Panel will cease.”
 
Finally, under the agreed terms for the resolution including the agreement of the Panel chairman to the immediate termination of the Independent Investigation, the AFL confirms that the Panel will not issue a report based on the information they have been provided to date. 
 
AFL COMMITMENTS:

The AFL continues to benefit greatly from the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players and the increasing diversity of participants in our game whether it is players, staff, coaches, umpires, administrators, broadcasters, governance leaders, corporate partners and fans.
 
A number of steps have been taken over the years to improve our on and off-field environments, from the introduction of the Racial and Religious Vilification rule (now Peek rule) in 1995, to the introduction of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Council in 2015 to the mandating of Indigenous Player Development Managers at all 18 AFL clubs in 2022, but the AFL understands more needs to be done at all levels of the game to provide a safe and welcoming environment for all.

The AFL has committed to a series of initiatives designed to ensure everyone in our game from players on the ground to supporters in the stands have a role to play in ensuring football at every level provides an inclusive environment. 

The AFL initiatives, some of which are well progressed and others which will be undertaken in the future, include:
 
GOVERNANCE AND STRATEGIC UNDERTAKINGS

1. Recommendation of Indigenous board representation across all 18 AFL Clubs and timeline established;
2. Plan to increase cultural diversity of AFL umpiring and officiating (tribunals) cohort and workforce;
3. Design and implement an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employment and retention strategy for the AFL;
4. Ensure development of Risk management strategies and plans relating to cultural capability and related policies in Clubs;
5. Multicultural players – consider recommendations for these player cohorts specifically through a process as part of final recommendations of the Cultural Belonging and Inclusion Strategy;
6. Whistle-blower strategies – standardized education to assist understanding of these policies and how they work and in particular assist players to exercise their rights to make reports under those policies and more generally to seek support, ask questions and report concerns;
7. Multicultural players – consider recommendations for these player cohorts specifically through a process as part of final recommendations of the Cultural Belonging and Inclusion Strategy;
8. Player family engagement – establish a rules of engagement document to guide this work to establish some basic standards and principles to be observed and committed to.

TRAINING

1. Delivery of cultural safety and awareness training programs to AFLW / AFL Club, Player and AFL staff commenced – development of preferred providers list for cultural awareness.  Mandate cultural safety and awareness training (according to set timeline with deadlines) for all coaches (including assistant coaches) at AFLW/AFL level (and potentially other AFL and Club Officials and/or staff) with training to be completed to assure accreditation and therefore on entry into the Elite system and then undertaken periodically to maintain accreditation; 
2. Provide access to resources for cultural safety and awareness training to Community Leagues and Clubs. Training on vilification and discrimination to be available for community stakeholders in 2023;
3. Virtual information session from Facebook / Instagram to AFLW / AFL Players and Clubs on use of new features to protect against online abuse;
4. Ensure training and implementation of the Social and emotional well-being wheel that supports culturally appropriate and relevant well-being models for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as players and staff;
5. Aboriginal Mental Health First Aid Training for all relevant club staff beyond IPDM staff;
6. Player managers – improve cultural capability of player managers, including working with AFLPA to include as a requirement for accreditation.

COMMUNITY

1. Appointment of centralised racial vilification tribunal model for community football leagues and Clubs developed and implemented;
2. Support and collaborate with AFL and AFLW players on advocacy for community racism and inclusion issues.

PARTNERSHIPS 

1. Proposed strategic partnerships endorsed – spectator racism, social media, etc (partnerships include with eSafety Commissioner, working relationship with Meta, and signatory to the Australia Human Rights Commission guide to address spectator racism).