Working together to erase racism in sport
As Melbourne geared up to celebrate its diversity in a major multicultural sporting festival, the reminders of a more-racist past came back to haunt. By AGRON DAUTI Racism on the pitch was an inescapable part of suburban Australian football...
As Melbourne geared up to celebrate its diversity in a major multicultural sporting festival, the reminders of a more-racist past came back to haunt.
Racism on the pitch was an inescapable part of suburban Australian football during the latter part of the 20th century, but many hoped tolerance was finally displacing the prejudice.
But less than a week after starring in an anti-racism campaign, Iraqi-born Sydney FC midfielder Ali Abbas said he was racially, religiously and culturally abused by opposition players during a game between the Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC.
Abbas registered an official complaint to Football Federation Australia for racial abuse, ironically sandwiched between the A-League’s Erase Racism round – a joint initiative of the anti-racism charity All Together Now and Football Federation Australia, held February 27-March 2 – and Harmony Day, the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, on March 21.
It's a big step backwards for those groups working hard to change a negative culture with initiatives such as the Erase Racism Round and the AFL Multicultural Program that help to promote diversity and tolerance in sport and Australian society.
Examples of these initiatives were on display during the 2014 Viva Victoria Festival held in Melbourne’s Federation Square last weekend, on Sunday, March 23. The annual festival – organised by the Victorian Multicultural Commission – aims to celebrate Melbourne’s cultural diversity and promote community harmony.
The festival showcased the cultures of more than 70 nations and included “sport zones” where people of different backgrounds could play together free of prejudice.
The Melbourne Heart and Melbourne Victory soccer clubs put aside their traditional rivalry and worked together to promote the “Racism. It Stops with Me” campaign and hand out bracelets with anti-racism messages.
Melbourne Victory organised a panna (street football) tournament where people of all ages and cultures could try their luck in the 5x5 meter panna football cage and compete against street footballers of different ethnicities.
Melbourne Victory striker Andrew Nabbout – of Lebanese descent – was on hand to promote the cultural diversity of the festival and promote Football Federation Victoria’s anti-racism campaign.
“[Melbourne] Victory, being a really cultural diverse club, we want to make sure racism stops as soon as possible. Especially with the stuff that’s happening with Western Sydney and Sydney, it’s really important to get [racism] out of the game because it has no place [in sport]”, said Nabbout.
“Our club is doing as much as we can to get it out of the game. It’s good that kids are coming together to have some fun and make friends at the same time.”
Only meters away, AFL Multicultural Ambassadors – including the first Sudanese-born AFL player, Majak Daw from North Melbourne FC – were on hand to challenge patrons to a handball contest, in addition to taking part in the festivities.
Collingwood Magpie and AFL multicultural ambassador Patrick Karnezis – who is of Greek heritage – was also at the festival to support multiculturalism – something he strongly believes in.
“Whether you’re on the field or just working together, [sport] brings people closer no matter what colour you are or background you’re from,” said Karnezis.
“Sport is something that can unite people. As we say, it’s many cultures, one game.”
Melbourne Demons player Jimmy Toumpas, of Greek Cypriot descent, said he was excited to attend the festival to promote multiculturalism and raise cultural awareness.
“Especially in AFL football, its massive. I’ve become an AFL multicultural ambassador now so it’s pretty special to come to occasions like this and really stamp out things like racism and try to get as many cultures together,” said Toumpas.
“It’s really special to be involved in [the Viva Victoria festival] and trying to stamp out racism is definitely a main focus. It’s definitely a great event and hopefully things like this can really bring lots of cultures together,” he said.
On a day when the colour and vibrancy of multiculturalism outshone a standard grey Melbourne sky, the efforts of various sporting organisations to end racism in sport was clear as day.
