Summary

Special 'Racism' edition of the AFL football program or record for Round 13 of the 1995 AFL season. This footy record features the match between North Melbourne and St Kilda, 1 July, 1995. It documents the significant and historical shift in the culture of the Australian Football League which acknowledged the endemic issue of racial and religious vilification amongst football players, officials and spectators and acted to establish codes of conduct and penalties for such behaviour.

Items inside the record include an article on the new rules being initiated by the AFL regarding racist behaviour, the famous image of Aboriginal St Kilda player Nicky Winmar raising his jumper and pointing to his black skin in 1993, a procedural guide to new codes of conduct and an overview of racial vilfiication and its victims from the past and present (including Doug Nicholls, Alex Jesaulenko, Michael Long and Tony Liberatore). There is also the standard footy fixture information, and match day player lists.

The image on page 4 of Nicky Winmar is accompanied by the caption 'The fight against racism in AFL begins', acknowledging the extraordinary gesture by Winmar at Victoria Park at the close of the match between Collingwood and St Kilda on 17 April 1993 after receiving racial taunts throughout the game. The article also acknowledges the importance of the complaint lodged by Aboriginal Essendon player Michael Long against Collingwood player Damian Monkhorst for onfield racial abuse during the drawn ANZAC day match on 25 April 1995 which galvanised the AFL into action.

Physical Description

38 page booklet with full colour front cover and black and white and colour printing on the inside pages. The front cover features a photograph of two hands grasped in a handshake.

Significance

The item documents the significant point in Australian sporting history when the culture of Australian Rules Football began to change and racial and religious vilification was offically deemed unacceptable. Racism and prejudice by players, officials and fans has long been a part of football culture, experienced by players of diverse backgrounds, including Aboriginal players. The issue was thrust into the spotlight by St Kilda football player Nicky Winmar, the photograph of whom by Age newspaper photographer Wayne Ludbey as he raised his jumper and pointed to his black skin in defiance of the racially taunting Collingwood cheer squad, really set the wheels for change in motion. Other subsequent key moments such as racist remarks made by then Collingwood Football Club President Alan McAllister and the offical complaint lodged against Collingwood footballer Damian Monkhorst by Aboriginal Essendon player Michael Long created a momentum for change that was offically acknowledged by the AFL anti racial and religious vilification code in 1995.

This cultural and policy change also paved the way for subsequent rights and respect recognisiton including attitudes towards women and most recently, sexual diversity.

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