Australian Rules Football (AFL) witnessed more sickening incidents involving racism over the weekend at a match between Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Crows.
Two indigenous players, Paddy Ryder and Eddie Betts were subjected to racist remarks with Ryder also having a banana thrown at him.
The ugly scenes have brought the players from both teams together to insist that "enough is enough" in relation to the racism that has blighted the sport in recent years.
Former Australian of the Year Adam Goodes of the Sydney Swans was a regular target for abuse which at one time led to him confronting a Collingwood fan and having her removed from the ground in 2013.
Commentator Eddie McGuire, who was also president of Collingwood at the time, also made a racial slur on air days after which he later clarified but was also forced to publicly apologise for after suggesting Goodes be used to promote King Kong.
The incident over the weekend saw 14 indigenous players from both clubs come together as well as their captains and chief executives have rallied together to oppose racism in all forms in Australia's national game.
"They're the people I'm trying to stand up for, those people that don't have a say, that don't know what to do." https://t.co/7ASYmDK7nC
— AFL (@AFL) April 11, 2017
AFL Chief Executive Gill McLachlan was forced to announce that the organisation would double its efforts in tackling the issue, saying: "My message to all football supporters to continue calling out bad behaviour, and for the pockets that are not on board, don't come to our games because we are welcoming of everyone.
"Racism wounds people, it hurts communities and racism has no place in our game. We've come along way on-field and we've come along way off-field. But there are still isolated incidents and we are going to keep tackling them, we're going to keep calling them out."
Port Adelaide has revoked a fan’s membership over the racial vilification of Adelaide's Eddie Betts. https://t.co/pT2vCCpX7F
— AFL (@AFL) April 11, 2017
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