AFL launches new investigation into Hawthorn racism scandal just six days after announcing ‘no adverse findings’ against Clarkson, Fagan, and Burt

This will be the third inquiry into the historical allegations of racism at Hawthorn, which were made by some of the clubs former indigenous players – including premiership star Cyril Rioli – and their families.

The move comes less than a week after the AFL ended its eight-month independent investigation into the allegations, with CEO Gillion McClauchlan announcing there were “no adverse findings” against former Hawthorn officials Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan, and Jason Burt.

However the AFL also made it clear in last Tuesday’s announcement that the ending of their independent investigation “does not preclude the AFL from bringing a charge under AFL Rules against Hawthorn FC with respect to the commissioning and oversight of the Binmada Report.”

And according to reporting by The Herald Sun, the AFL contacted Hawthorn last week informing them about the investigation, which will be led by AFL legal counsel Stephen Meade.

The AFL will seek to interview key Hawthorn figures including former president Jeff Kennett and former chief executive Justin Reeves – both of who were at the club during the period the allegations cover.

Hawthorn could face a range of sanctions over the scandal, ranging from fines to being stripped of draft picks.

The AFL reportedly believes Hawthorn had good intentions when it commissioned the external review that ultimately led to the accusations being made public. But the club will question how Hawthorn responded to the review and the allegations it uncovered.

On Friday, the families at the heart of the scandal came forward for the first time, claiming they were “gutted” that the people described as “so-called AFL role models” were not prepared to “listen to our truths through mediation”.

The group, which included former players Cyril Rioli, Jermaine Miller Lewis, and Carl Peterson, former Hawks official Leon Egan, and the wives of Rioli and Miller Lewis, said they planned to take their allegations to the Australian Human Rights Commission, and further if necessary. 

“We will now bring them to a Human Rights Commission conciliation to listen to the truths that they don’t want to hear,” the group said.

“And if they still won’t listen and learn then it will end up in the Federal Court where we will tell our truths in the witness box. But they will hear us one way or another.”

The group also detailed some of the allegations and the impact they had on them.

“We previously allowed these people to use their power to control our lives. It should never happen again,” they said.

“We were separated from our families. We were told an unborn child would ruin our futures.

“We were treated as special projects and control of our lives was taken from us.”

They said they agreed to come to a resolution with the AFL because the league had acknowledged their “pain and hurt” and “made a legally binding promise” to combat racism in football.

 “The game will be safer for all First Nations families because of it,” they declared.