WEST Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett has apologised for the club's use of the racist term "yellow peril" in reference to the Eagles' yellow heritage jumper that was worn in Friday night's clash with Richmond.

The Eagles wore the jumper to mark the 30-year anniversary of the Eagles' first game in the VFL in 1987.

The West Coast communications department twice used the term "yellow peril" to describe the return of the jumper on social media over the weekend.

A respondent to the posts pointed out that "yellow peril" is a derogatory metaphorical term, coined in the western world in the late 19th and early 20th century to describe the fear of an Asian military and cultural expansion into western nations.

The Eagles apologised for the use of the term on Wednesday.

"The West Coast Eagles sincerely regrets the use of the term 'yellow peril' in reference to the heritage guernsey it wore against Richmond last Friday night," Nisbett said in a statement.

"A young member of the West Coast Eagles' communications team was unaware of the history behind the term and the racist connotations it engendered. 

"The club is committed to cultural diversity, inclusion and equality, and as such unreservedly apologises for any offence the reference has caused."