The ABC’s Four Corners program has asked why the AFL is one of the few sporting codes in the world that has never had an out and proud gay player at an elite level.
Louise Milligan’s report traced how programs like Channel Nine’s The Footy Show used homophobic jokes for years and echoed the culture of the game, and despite major initiatives to stamp out homophobic behaviour, the sport still has a long way to go.
The investigation found that decades after the government ordered clubs to develop sophisticated policies and processes for dealing with complaints, no club had fully implemented recommendations laid out in 2000.
Richard Watts, who set up the first gay fans group at an AFL club when he created Collingwood’s Pink Magpies, said he remains baffled that there’s never been a top-level player who has shared that they are gay.
Earlier this year AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan confirmed that there are multiple gay players but said none of them want to have the “burden” of being the first gay player at the elite level.
Western Bulldogs great Bob Murphy has urged any AFL footballer who is uncomfortable coming out and revealing they are LGBTIQA+ to take the step, saying it would be “like a superpower for your football team and your football club.”
The retired player who now works for the Fremantle Dockers told the program he looks forward to embracing the first player who comes out.
“I want a gay footballer in my football club so we can get up and wrap our arms around him and say, ‘you are one of us, we love you, you are brave, you are braver than anyone in this league’.” he told Milligan.
Watch the episode.
OIP Staff
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