Former Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge has revealed he supplied a written assertion to the now-disbanded impartial panel set as much as examine racism claims on the Hawks.
The AFL known as a snap media convention on Tuesday night time to announce the formal finish of the eight-month investigation.
No antagonistic findings have been made towards Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan or Jason Burt over the allegations, which turned public by way of an ABC report final September.
Hodge, who captained Hawthorn between 2011 and 2016, mentioned the claims that emerged within the media didn’t align together with his expertise.
“It was optional for any players or staff,” Hodge advised SEN concerning the investigation course of.
“I was at the football club for 16 years … we were in a lot of the main meetings, with any issues they come through the leadership group the majority of times.
“I felt initially the accusations that we learn within the paper did not match as much as the three gents accused or the tradition of the soccer membership.”
Hodge said he spoke with numerous former teammates after the allegations surfaced.
“I’d spoken to plenty of Indigenous gamers (and) non-Indigenous gamers as soon as all of it got here out, they usually had the identical form of feeling, so when it was thrown up as elective to be part of (I provided),” he mentioned.
“Everyone has totally different experiences going by means of soccer golf equipment, and I do know there was lots of people put their hand up, each Indigenous and non-Indigenous, that wished to inform their story.”
Fagan issued a scathing statement about the process on Tuesday night, while Clarkson has yet to offer a response to the investigation wrapping up.
Clarkson has been on indefinite leave from his position as North Melbourne coach for the past two weeks due to the emotional toll of the racism saga.
All three of the accused males have persistently denied any wrongdoing.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au