LAWYERS representing First Nations players and partners alleging racism at Hawthorn Football Club are on Friday expected to continue pursuing the matter legally through the lodgement of documents in the Federal Court.
Mediation between the players and those accused of the mistreatment, including Alastair Clarkson, now coaching North Melbourne, and Chris Fagan (Brisbane), was officially terminated by the Human Rights Commission in late May.
A deadline to take the matter to the Federal Court expires on Friday. While contents of the claims were still being finalised on Thursday, Clarkson and Fagan were this week told by people representing them that they would not be specifically named in the Federal Court action.
Clarkson and Fagan may still be required to appear as witnesses when the case is heard, but Hawthorn Football Club may be listed as the sole defendant.
In 2022, Hawthorn appointed a consultant to investigate claims of racism at the club. Contents of that investigation were made public in Grand Final week of 2022, forcing Clarkson and Fagan to stand down from their respective positions.
The AFL launched its own inquiry into the matter, but disbanded it in 2023, and announced it would not be levelling adverse findings against Clarkson, Fagan and fellow Hawks official Jason Burt.
