THE HAWTHORN racism scandal has ended after the club settled its Federal Court case with Indigenous former players and their families, and apologised to the group for their experiences.
The club and players released a joint statement on Wednesday night, confirming the settlement after two days of mediation this week.
The statement specified the settlement was reached "without determination of any parties' allegations".
>> READ THE FULL HAWTHORN STATEMENT BELOW
"Hawthorn accepts that the allegations were made in good faith, and has heard, respects, and accepts that they represent their truths," part of the statement said.
"Hawthorn is sorry and apologises that the former players, partners, and their families, in either pursuing a football career, or in supporting such a person, experienced ongoing hurt and distress in their time at the Club."
The settlement brings to an end a scandal that has lasted more than two years.
Racism allegations against the club and its former coach Alastair Clarkson, his former assistant Chris Fagan and former welfare manager Jason Burt were first aired publicly in September 2022.
Clarkson, Fagan and Burt have all strenuously denied any wrongdoing since then, while an AFL investigation found no adverse findings against the trio in May last year.
AFL premiership star Cyril Rioli was the lead applicant in a statement of claim lodged in the Federal Court in July alongside his wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli, former players Carl Peterson and Jermaine Miller-Lewis, his partner Montanah-Rae Lewis, and Hawthorn's former Indigenous liaison officer Leon Egan.
WALKING TOGETHER
JOINT STATEMENT OF THE HAWTHORN FOOTBALL CLUB
AND
CYRIL RIOLI, SHANNYN AH SAM-RIOLI, JERMAINE MILLER-LEWIS, MONTANAH-RAE LEWIS, CARL PETERSON AND LEON EGAN
IN FEDERAL COURT PROCEEDING NO. VID 728/2024
1. The former players, partners, and their families commenced Federal Court proceedings alleging that Hawthorn Football Club engaged in acts of racial discrimination that had a significant impact on them.
2. Hawthorn accepts that the allegations were made in good faith, and has heard, respects, and accepts that they represent their truths. Hawthorn is sorry and apologises that the former players, partners, and their families, in either pursuing a football career, or in supporting such a person, experienced ongoing hurt and distress in their time at the Club.
3. Hawthorn remains committed to providing a safe environment for First Nations peoples and the elimination of all forms of racial discrimination.
4. No person should suffer to pursue a career in football. By the former players, partners, and their families sharing their truths and raising their allegations, this has provided valuable learnings for the Club and has greatly assisted the Club in improving its processes, education and the care it provides to each First Nations player and their support persons. The Club thanks the former players, partners, and their families for their courage in providing this guidance
5. As a direct result of the allegations raised by the former players, partners, and their families, Hawthorn has:
a. established a First Nations Advisory Committee comprising the Chair and the CEO, Professor Barry Judd, Aunty Joy Murphy, Alan Thorpe and Chad Wingard;
b. developed and implemented a First Nations strategic plan with the expertise and advice from several First Nations advisors, with experience from the AFL, Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission and Victorian Government;
c. expanded the role of its Indigenous Player Development Manager, which now incorporates Head of Indigenous Affairs;
d. in constructing a future home at the Kennedy Community Centre, is seeking to ensure a culturally safe environment by:
i. the re-location of the established Tyetdji Yulk cultural room currently at Bunjil Bagora, Waverley Park, to a prominent position overlooking the entrance of the Harris Elite Training Facility;
ii. the inclusion of a yarning circle which overlooks the main training oval and nearby to the main entrance; and
iii. the potential inclusion of an outdoor community and ceremony space embedded to the south of the main facility footprint.
6. Hawthorn continues to learn from the experiences of the former players, partners, and their families and all people involved with the Club. The fact the former players, partners and their families feel the way they do about their time at Hawthorn will continue to guide how the Club interacts with and supports First Nations peoples moving forward.
7. Hawthorn is committed to working with, and welcoming back, the former players, partners, and their families in the hope that they will feel able to return to the Hawthorn Football Club.
8. Hawthorn and the former players, partners, and their families have chosen to settle the Federal Court proceeding, without determination of any parties’ allegations, in the best interests of everyone. Hawthorn and the former players, partners, and their families wish to record their thanks to Ms Kate Eastman SC and Mr Mick Gooda, who mediated this proceeding, for the assistance they provided the parties in being able to reach a resolution of this litigation.
