Commissioner calls for coordinated response from Australian sporting sector to address spectator racism

Australia’s Race Discrimination Commissioner Chin Tan has called for a coordinated, consistent way to amplify the message that racism will not be tolerated following an incident in which Latrell Mitchell of the South Sydney NRL team “the Rabbitohs” was the alleged target of racist abuse at Penrith’s BlueBet Stadium on Thursday night, 9th March.

Mitchell was allegedly shouted at by a fan as the players came from the field at half time of the match between Penrith and South Sydney with the fan now identified as a teenager who is disputing the allegation that his exchange with the South Sydney fullback was racially motivated.

Commissioner Tan said the reported racial abuse directed at NRL player Latrell Mitchell demonstrates the need for professional sports organisations, including clubs and codes, to work together to address spectator racism.

NRL Chief Executive Andrew Abdo has vowed to eradicate racism from the sport as he promised to sanction and educate any fan found to have abused Mitchell.

Abdo said the game would come down hard on any offenders and noted “the message to those outlying individuals is very clear – you are not welcome in our game. You’re going to be called out, and not just by players but by fans and officials. We self-regulate in our game. And eventually it becomes eradicated.

“That has to be our goal and our vision. We will do all we can to make sure we leave the game better than we found it. And that means that these types of incidents are not occurring.”

Abdo confirmed the NRL’s integrity unit were working with NSW Police on the matter, with the investigation the game’s top priority.

The Australian Human Rights Commission worked with major sports codes in 2021 to produce a set of Spectator Racism Guidelines, which outline best-practice approaches to preventing and responding to racist incidents.

Commissioner Tan advised that he was "deeply concerned by the allegations of racial abuse directed at Latrell Mitchell" adding "this incident shines a light on the systemic nature of racism. Whilst often invisible, racism is a significant scourge in our society and we must unite against it.

“This incident demonstrates that more needs to be done to eliminate racism in sport. It highlights the urgent need for professional sports organisations, including clubs and codes, to work together to implement consistent and coordinated approaches.”

The Spectator Racism Guidelines aim to ensure sporting organisations, including clubs, codes and stadiums, are equipped to deal with incidents of racism. They outline proactive measures to prevent it from occurring at sporting events.

The Commission has also produced a suite of resources to implement the Guidelines, including templates, checklists, and supporting documents to help inform organisational policies, approaches, and complaints handling processes in relation to spectator racism.

Commissioner Tan added “This incident demonstrates the need to work in a coordinated, consistent way to amplify the message that racism will not be tolerated, and there will be serious consequences for it. There is no place for racism in sport.”

“Sport holds a unique place in Australian society and helps build social connection. Unfortunately, racism in sport remains an ongoing issue, threatening our values of equality, fairness, and participation. We must use this opportunity to redouble our commitment to challenging racism – wherever it occurs.

Several major sporting organisations have already provided their formal endorsement of the Guidelines. They include: Australian Institute of Sport, Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports, Sport Australia, Professional Footballers Australia, Tennis Australia, Australian Basketballers Association, Golf Australia, Stadium Australia, NRL and AFL.

The Commission has extended an open invitation to support all clubs, codes, and stadiums in their commitment to combat racism. Organisations can engage the Commission for training, consultations, and communications materials to help underpin their message that racism will not be tolerated.

The Commission is also working on a wider National Anti-Racism Framework Project to address racism in all areas of society.