The AFL has been accused of discrimination after it was reportedly ready to confiscate an Israeli flag at Saturday’s match between North Melbourne and the West Coast Eagles at Marvel Stadium.
The flag was prominently displayed all through the match in North Melbourne’s supporter part and had been introduced in assist of the membership’s star debutant and Jewish man Harry Sheezel.
Various stories on Wednesday, which haven’t been refuted by the AFL, mentioned sure supporters objected to the presence of the Israeli flag on the recreation, and the league’s safety lead mentioned it ought to have been confiscated or the individual in possession of the flag requested to depart the bottom.
Later on Wednesday, nevertheless, the AFL insisted that this recommendation was incorrect and mentioned it had “no issue” with the flag.
Speaking to Melbourne radio station 3AW on Wednesday, Gary, the daddy of the one who introduced the flag to the bottom, mentioned it was “not surprising from the AFL”.
“(The son) he just went to support Harry,” the person mentioned.
“(It’s) not surprising from the AFL – I mean, can they get any more woke and politically correct?” he mentioned.
“Why have they taken offence? What have they taken offence at?”
Josh, who took the flag to the sport on Saturday, additionally phoned into 3AW on Wednesday. He mentioned he “100 per cent” believed the specter of confiscation was anti-Semitic.
“I feel very very upset,” he mentioned.
Sheezel himself informed AFL 360 shortly after his dream debut, for which he was awarded the league’s Rising Star nomination, that he appreciated the assist he acquired.
“As the game went on I kind of heard the chants and I saw a few flags and Cheezel packets around the ground,” he mentioned.
“It just made me feel so supported and loved.”
Anti-Defamation Commission chairman Dvir Abramovich mentioned the AFL’s stance “feels like discrimination and double standards”.
“Either you have a consistent enforcement policy concerning all national flags that demonstrates coherency and fairness or you don’t,” Dr Abramovich mentioned.
“This case does feel like discrimination and double standards especially when you consider that there were no objections or statements by (AFL chief executive) Gillon McLachlan when last year Magpies fans celebrated in front of Collingwood forward Mason Cox by waving a US flag,” he mentioned.
“If indeed it is the case that the AFL’s official policy is to ban the Israeli flag from being unfurled during footy matches, then the organisation has a lot of explaining to do, including have they banned national flags on previous occasions, and if so, when?”
“Or is there something about the Israeli flag that the AFL finds offensive and worthy of exclusion?”
On Wednesday, the AFL mentioned the correspondence to a fan who took difficulty with the flag was improper.
“For clarity, the AFL has no issue with the flag and signs supporting North Melbourne’s Harry Sheezel on the weekend,” the league mentioned in a press release.
“Correspondence sent to a patron that had an issue with the flag being displayed was an incorrect interpretation of our conditions of match day entry policy and we apologise for any confusion.
“An AFL match day is a place for everyone. We want fans to celebrate their clubs and players, and if that includes displaying national flags that amplify any of their team’s player heritage, then the AFL is fully supportive.”
North Melbourne has been contacted for remark.
Originally revealed as Harry Sheezel: AFL accused of discrimination after Israeli flag furore
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
