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Ex-player slams Collingwood in fiery new racism saga tirade

Pictured here, former Collingwood player Heritier Lumumba greets fans after a match.
Heritier Lumumba has hit out at the investigation into his claims of racism against Collingwood. Pic: AAP

Former Collingwood premiership star Heritier Lumumba has hit out in anger at a recent report around his racism claims against the AFL club.

Lumumba has repeatedly said he's insulted by Collingwood holding an investigation into his claims of widespread racism at the club.

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The ex-Magpies player says he was nicknamed 'chimp' for a period of his playing days at Collingwood, which ended in 2014.

He has refused to take part in an investigation launched by Collingwood's integrity committee in the wake of his explosive allegations, insisting he has already told his story and is awaiting acknowledgement from the club about what he describes as a culture of racism.

Lumumba has now accused his former club of spreading “misinformation about me behind the scenes”, following a recent report that suggested he gave Pies captain Scott Pendlebury permission to call him "chimp" when the pair were teammates.

He goes on to point out that the report failed to include comment from either he or Pendlebury, saying it proves the investigation is not being conducted properly.

Lumumba questions how journalists were given what he refers to as "misinformation" from Collingwood, when the investigation isn't even complete.

“This is exactly why I refuse to be part of Collingwood’s so-called integrity commission. They continue to spread misinformation about me behind the scenes,” Lumumba said in one of many Twitter posts.

“If neither myself nor Scott Pendlebury commented for this story, where did the information come from? Who could possibly be leaking information about CFC’s investigation to journalists?

The 33-year-old then goes on to slam his former club, accusing Collingwood of repeatedly trying to discredit him and sweep his concerns under the carpet.

Lumumba continues attack on former club

“I’m not shocked at all. Collingwood has a track record of attempting to discredit me publicly and privately.

“The club has repeatedly attempted to suggest that I was responsible for the anti-African ideas that were interwoven into the culture. This is what they told The Project in 2017 and what Eddie McGuire himself said on live television only a few weeks ago.

“My claims are about more than simply a nickname. I was called ‘black c*nt,’ ‘black dog,’ ‘ni**er,’ ‘slave,’ listened to the most outrageous racist ideas and jokes, got into verbal altercations and even physical altercations, and had the club’s PR machine weaponised against me.

Seen here, Heritier Lumumba during his Collingwood playing days.
Heritier Lumumba says Collingwood failed to adequately address his concerns about racism during his time at the footy club. Pic: Getty

Lumumba stated the reasons behind his refusal to take part in the investigation in June, saying he wanted Collingwood to adequately acknowledge the concerns he had raised on numerous occasions.

"I have reported it to administrators, to board members, to coaches at the Collingwood Football Club in the two years prior to me leaving,” he said.

"I have mentioned it to players. I have mentioned it to the AFL Players' Association.

"I have mentioned it to board members and coaches at the Melbourne Football Club.

"I have mentioned it to psychologists and psychiatrists who are connected to the AFL and are AFL-affiliated.

"I did a feature-length documentary film about my experience, about the truth that I experienced, which was later confirmed, or now confirmed, by six different players.

"So for Collingwood Football Club to suggest that it needs to embark on this investigation to get my truth and wants me to participate in that, it is rather insulting."

with AAP