Chris Fagan has blasted the Hawthorn racism investigation course of as a farce, saying he’s vindicated and would welcome the prospect to check the bombshell claims in a public courtroom.
The Brisbane coach issued a strongly worded assertion inside minutes of AFL chief government Gillon McLachlan saying the unbiased inquiry into the allegations would finish, following an settlement with six of the complainants.
But that solely closes one chapter within the matter, with authorized motion now showing sure and Hawthorn themselves set to come back beneath AFL investigation for the way they dealt with the preliminary claims.
After eight months of the inquiry making minimal progress, occasions moved rapidly on Tuesday and the AFL known as a snap media convention that night to announce the top of the investigation.
Fagan, Alastair Clarkson and Jason Burt have been cleared of breaching AFL guidelines throughout their time at Hawthorn.
Fagan stated the leaking of the preliminary allegations to the media, the AFL investigation and additional media leaks have been a “travesty of justice”.
While Fagan, Clarkson and Burt weren’t occasion to the settlement reached by six of the complainants, the AFL and the inquiry panel, the Lions coach stated these issues are “fully justified”.
“I have always categorically denied all the allegations against me. The allegations are false. I am completely innocent,” he stated.
“I am happy for any of my conduct and any documents to be aired publicly in a public court or proper public process and let someone impartial decide what is true and what is false,” he stated.
“I have made no concessions. There are none to make … I have done nothing wrong.”
Fagan added he bore no grudges in opposition to the complainants.
“I am conscious this farce of a process cannot have been easy on those First Nations people who were complainants,” he stated.
“Those whom I knew, I hold no grudges against and hold only a wish that whatever pain they are suffering can be healed over time.”
The query now’s whether or not the AFL will take motion in opposition to Hawthorn over their conduct.
McLachlan stated the best way Hawthorn dealt with the method the place preliminary allegations have been made put many events concerned in a “hugely vulnerable situation”.
The most critical of the accusations is that an Indigenous participant was instructed to encourage his companion to have an abortion.
The Hawks saga began final 12 months after former Indigenous star Cyril Rioli and his spouse Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli publicly claimed they have been handled poorly throughout their time on the membership.
That prompted a Hawthorn overview of present and former Indigenous gamers, which led to the bombshell racism claims being leaked to the media final September.
Hawthorn launched a press release on Tuesday night time, saying they welcomed the choice to finish the inquiry.
Hawks president Andy Gowers will maintain a media convention on Wednesday.
His predecessor Jeff Kennett, who left the function final 12 months, was quoted within the media as saying he was “profoundly disappointed” by McLachlan’s feedback concerning the AFL probably taking motion in opposition to the Hawks.
Clarkson is on depart from his new function as North Melbourne coach because of the stress of the racism saga, whereas Burt works at a Melbourne faculty.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
