Sport holds a unique place in Australian society. It celebrates our values of equality, fairness and participation and helps build social connection and cohesion.
So, Is racism in sport an issue in Australia?
Australians of various colour, race and ethnic origin united as one to cheer home Cathy Freeman to gold in the final of the Sydney Olympic Games 400 metres. And in June 2006, an estimated 6.7 million Australians got up at one in the morning to watch Australia play Italy in the second round of the FIFA World Cup. That is one in three men, women and children in the country watching a game formerly known as ‘wogball’ and passionately barricking for a multicultural mix of players, with names such as Aloisi, Grella, Bresciano, Schwartzer and Viduka to name a few.
Every week, team-mates and fans alike get out to support Indigenous players and those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in national, state and local sporting competitions - be it league, unio n, netball, hockey, Australian football or basketball.
It would seem that sport and sporting events are the ultimate cross-cultural mixing pot in Australia; a place where respect for ability and the camaraderie of teamwork overcomes intolerance and exclusion, and where we cheer on our champions no matter what the colour of their skin or the sound of their surname.
However don’t believe the spin doctors -.Racism exists in Australian sport, just as it does in the rest of society.
In some quarters, there is a perception and portrayal that the battle against racism has been won. But just when it seems as though racial and religious vilification laws and anti-discrimination policies in our national sporting codes are working effectively, along comes another racial incident by one of our sportspeople or commentators to remind us that the issue remains very much alive.
The government agency Sport Integrity Australia is responsible for keeping sport safe and fair and works with all sports on their Member Protection policies. They can also receive and manage complaints about racism, independent of any sporting organisation.
If you witness or experience racism, you can report it confidentially to Sport Integrity Australia: www.sportintegrity.gov.au