Two Fremantle gamers have been focused on social media with racist and homophobic abuse because the scourge on the sport intensifies.
Indigenous duo Michael Walters and Nathan Wilson each reported abusive feedback to the Dockers after their loss to Adelaide on Saturday, with the membership slamming the “abhorrent and archaic” therapy of its gamers.
The newest episode comes only a day after Adelaide star Izak Rankine was despatched a vile message on Instagram by an account with zero followers and no posts – an indication of an account arrange with the intent to abuse gamers.
Wilson was attacked on-line by the same account on April 2 and once more on Saturday, and like Rankine, shared the message to his Instagram story in disgust.
“What do you have to do to stop people like this. Embarrassing,” Wilson wrote.
Fremantle chief govt Simon Garlick mentioned the individuals who continued to focus on AFL gamers from behind faux social media profiles have been “pathetic”.
“This unnecessary and disgusting abuse should not happen; it saddens me, and everyone at our club, that it does,” Garlick mentioned.
“Individuals that hide behind fake accounts to hurt others are pathetic and we need to be able to curb this capability on social platforms.
“In the meantime, I urge fans to use this conversation to call out racist and homophobic slurs for the abhorrent and archaic discourse that it is.
“It has no place in our game or in our community … enough is enough.”
The messages to the Fremantle duo and Rankine observe a string of racism scandals within the sport, with Western Bulldogs ahead Jamarra Ugle-Hagan subjected to vile remarks whereas enjoying in opposition to St Kilda in spherical 2.
The AFL Integrity Unit mentioned final month it was working with St Kilda to establish the perpetrator and ban them from the sport.
The AFLIU was additionally investigating the abuse of Rankine with the Crows, a league spokesperson mentioned.
“The AFL in the strongest possible way condemns the hurtful and abhorrent racist remarks directed at one of the Adelaide Crows players over the weekend via social media,” they mentioned.
“We stand with the club in calling out the racist comments; comments that cause significant hurt and harm for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
“The AFLIU has been contacted by the Adelaide Crows and will now provide support for those impacted and investigate the matter, working towards identifying the individual concerned.”
Source: www.news.com.au
