An AFL fan has sparked controversy after throwing a banana at Adelaide Crows player Eddie Betts in a racially charged attack.
The Herald Sun reports that the woman threw the banana after Betts’ fifth goal in the last few seconds of the game. The woman also allegedly called him ‘a monkey’, leading the Port Adelaide Football Club to believe that it was ‘clear that the offender’s behaviour was racially motivated’.
She has received an indefinite ban from future games, and could face a lifetime ban if it is proven that the incident was a case of racial abuse.
“We will revoke her membership,” Port Adelaide president David Koch said. “It’s against the law No. 1 and against our code of conduct.”
Other fans have taken to social media to say that this isn’t the first disturbing incident they’ve witnessed from this woman.
One man wrote: “This happened in the row in front of me. I am proud to say that I yelled at her and told her she took it too far.
“She responded by saying, but he’s a monkey. I yelled back, no, ur just a racist.
“All year we’ve had to put up with her foul mouth … in front of our kids.”
ABC News reports that the woman has since agreed to participate in a cultural awareness program run by Port Adelaide Football Club.
“She quite clearly recognises that she’s made a terrible mistake and we’ll work with her on that,” Port Adelaide member services general manager Matthew Richardson told ABC.
“We have got a very proud reputation, we’ve got industry leading Indigenous programs and cultural awareness programs so we will actually get her involved in those so that she can actually understand what she’s done.
“We do quite extensive cultural awareness training with all our staff, so we’ll involve her in that program, and that does include our Indigenous players.”
Richardson also added that the response from the public has been a good sign.
“The way that people have responded to this incident, that it’s totally unacceptable, in some ways is quite encouraging,” he added.
