Former Hawthorn star Jordan Lewis says it was “tough to read” the bombshell open letter from ex-Hawks teammates because the households concerned within the membership’s racism investigation take their case to the Human Rights Commission.
On Friday, Hawthorn champion Cyril Rioli and spouse Shannyn Ahsam-Rioli have been joined by ex-Hawks Carl Peterson and Jermaine Miller-Lewis, together with Jermaine’s spouse Montanah and the membership’s former Indigenous supervisor Leon Egan, in describing the investigation as a “public s***show” – one they guarantees would finish within the Federal Court if their complaints should not heard.
The households wished to appropriate misunderstandings circulating concerning the racism investigation, stating they by no means requested for cash – reasonably they only wished a “sit with the coaches and officials we looked up to” to share their tales.
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“We are some of the Indigenous families who endured racism at the Hawthorn Football Club,” the joint open letter learn.
“We were separated from our families.
“We were told an unborn child would ruin our futures.
“We were treated as special projects and control of our lives was taken from us.
“We told our truths in confidence, because we believed that it would bring change.
“And because we needed to heal and move on.
“That confidence was betrayed.”
Speaking on Fox Footy on Friday, four-time Hawthorn champion Lewis, who performed alongside Rioli and Peterson, hoped each events reached some form of decision within the close to future.
“It was tough to read for anyone,” Lewis mentioned.
“Knowing the person, it probably cuts a little bit deeper.
“His experience (Rioli) is not as good as I would have imagined it to be.
“Those guys have been named now so they’ll go through due process.
“Hopefully sometime in the near future get a resolution for everybody.
“They want people to speak openly and hear two sides to the story, give some context on everything that’s gone on.
“I think it’s not only great for the other party but certainly Cyril and those people to now not have to hide behind aliases.”
However, Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph revealed the mediation course of might take “a significant period of time”.
“What happens next … Justin Quill tells me the Human Rights Commission is all about conciliation, it’s all about mediation. It’s not about penalties or damage or forced apologies. He says though this process can take two years,” Ralph advised Fox Footy.
“So certainly the closure that some people are looking for on both sides is going to be very hard-fought and certainly take a significant period of time.”
AFL legend Leigh Matthews speculated that due to how the Hawthorn racism investigation scandal has performed out within the media, the perfect consequence is “forced mediation”.
“If they actually sent this letter or had this point of view back last September before it all just got out of control, a mediation or a consultant to talk it through may have been possible,” Matthews advised 3AW Football.
“But as soon as that ABC article popped up, it all went out the door. Mediation might still happen now because it‘s almost forced mediation.
“But now that you know, or the people have been prepared to be public the ones who‘ve got the complaints, I suspect you’d be more likely to think, ‘OK you’ve named yourself, we can talk now.’
“But while they remained anonymous, why would you bother consulting or talking to people who won’t even name themselves?”
Originally revealed as ‘Cuts a little bit deeper’: Former Hawthorn champion Jordan Lewis speaks after bombshell letter unveiled
Source: www.news.com.au
