Jason Burt has joined Chris Fagan in angrily hitting out on the ongoing Hawthorn racism saga, calling the allegations in opposition to him terrible and vile.
Burt’s submit on Linkedin comes a day after the AFL ended the unbiased inquiry into claims of historic racism at Hawthorn.
AFL chief government Gillon McLachlan mentioned on Tuesday evening that Burt, Chris Fagan and Alastair Clarkson had no case to reply beneath the league’s guidelines, however authorized motion by the complainants seems sure.
Burt, Clarkson and Fagan all are adamant they’re harmless.
Minutes after McLachlan introduced the “imperfect solution”, Fagan issued an announcement saying he would welcome the prospect to have the claims examined in an open court docket.
While the complainants stay nameless after the preliminary report was leaked to the media final September, Burt additionally claimed in his assertion that one of many gamers who made the claims, and his associate, usually are not Indigenous Australians.
Burt was a welfare officer at Hawthorn on the time of the alleged mistreatment and he now works at a Melbourne faculty.
He additionally gave an in depth media interview over the weekend, protesting his innocence
“The Binmada ‘report’ commissioned by Hawthorn and leaked to the media was a disgrace. Hawthorn’s appointment of Phil Egan to conduct it was the first example of poor governance by Hawthorn in this process,” Burt mentioned in his Wednesday assertion.
“The so called ‘welfare check’ on Indigenous players instead presented a selection of unproven and unreliable grievances and allegations which were not checked with me or many other Indigenous and non-Indigenous players at Hawthorn.
“The leaking of it to the media by whoever did it, was even worse. Yet inside this course of, it has been heartening to assessment the paperwork and interviews shared by all previous gamers and officers (many Indigenous) who converse a special reality about how Hawthorn operated in the identical time as these vile allegations. The AFL couldn’t converse this reality yesterday.
“I also think it’s important to clarify that ‘Zac’ and ‘Kylie’, who continue to make allegations to the media, are not Indigenous Australians.”
Burt additionally insisted that 4 gamers who made the allegations had benefitted from their time at Hawthorn.
“This is a case of four men (former players) that spent time at Hawthorn who all needed substantial guidance, support and care,” he mentioned.
“This is what they, and so many other players, received from many people over their time at Hawthorn, including from Alastair, Chris and myself.
“All 4 former gamers have frolicked in my home, with my household as a part of the membership’s technique of serving to every to resolve their points. Their time at Hawthorn was maximised due to the on and off discipline assist provided to every.”
Burt added he and his family had suffered greatly because of the allegations.
“If the result of this ‘imperfect decision’ appeases the complainants, then I want them properly,” he mentioned.
“Unfortunately, this end result has performed little to decrease the anguish and damage skilled by my household all through this ordeal and most probably properly into the longer term.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
