Collingwood player Heritier Lumumba is reportedly likely to part ways with the club due to its tolerance of what some are calling a homophobic slur.
Lumumba recently challenged the club over a graffitied poster in the players’ rooms. The poster depicted players Scott Pendlebury and Dayne Beams, and someone had written “off to the Mardi Gras, boys?” on the picture.
Lumumba challenged the club’s tolerance of the incident, saying that the club should have found who was responsible for the graffiti and disciplined them, as the poster was offensive to gay members of staff.
Lumumba reportedly made his unease with the situation known to his team mates following a meeting with coach Nathan Buckley, in which Lumumba made an unsafe workplace claim.
There have since been a number of meetings between Lumumba and club officials, including with club president Eddie McGuire regarding Lumumba’s future at Collingwood.
There have been reports that the club is likely to trade the 27 year old wingman and defender.
Lucumba’s manager Ben Niall made the following comments:
“Heritier and the club have had some issues and yes a bit of history there and now it is coming to the point where he is contracted for next year but both parties will decide whether it is best for Heritier to be there next year,” Niall said.
“Both parties are going to spend some time thinking about what they do from here. Do they both decide they can work through this or is it time to go their own way and maybe he has to move to a new club?”
