Brisbane Lions slam own fan's 'disgraceful' racist comment
Brisbane will bar a supporter from taking AFL membership with the club following racist comments online vilifying forward Allen Christensen.
The comments were posted on a Facebook group following the Lions' win over North Melbourne on Saturday and have been slammed by the club.
While the person responsible is not a member of the Lions, the club says they will not allow them to take up membership in the future unless they demonstrate they have participated in cultural awareness training.
"The comment is disgraceful and completely at odds with the values of the Brisbane Lions," chairman Andrew Wellington said in a statement on Monday.
Now to call out racism. I’m ashamed this bloke supports the same team I do. #racismitstopswithme #UneducatedAustralia pic.twitter.com/DLyZFqyvgX
— John Selway (@johnselway74) July 20, 2019
My brother doesn’t deserve this. No one deserves. Not to mention this guy is a lions supporter. Racism has no place in this country. Thank you @johnselway74! Appreciate people like you. Let’s educate one another to show it’s not okay https://t.co/OduZL7mlZB
— aaronchristensen (@a_christensenn) July 21, 2019
"Racism stops with us and has no place in our society."
A Richmond supporter was banned for two years in March by the AFL following online abuse directed at West Coast forward Liam Ryan.
Adelaide forward Eddie Betts has also repeatedly been the target of racist trolls.
"In a week where the Adam Goodes film has been shown nationwide and on the back on NAIDOC week, myself and the Club will keep striving to educate the wider Brisbane and AFL community that these comments are not acceptable," Christensen said in a statement released by the Lions.
"These sort of comments have a great effect on families, teammates and players around the league and the country.
"We as a game have come a long way, but 'OK' is not good enough and I know highlighting this type of racial stereotyping will all keep us going forward as a community."
