PORT ADELAIDE Chief Executive Officer Matthew Richardson has condemned the latest social media abuse directed at forward Willie Rioli following Saturday night’s narrow loss to Collingwood.
Several racist messages were sent to Rioli, prompting the forward to call out those who sent them on his own channels.
Speaking with media on Sunday afternoon, club CEO Matthew Richardson was asked whether an off-the ball incident involving Rioli may have prompted the abuse.
“Nothing makes it ok,” Mr Richardson said.
“Regardless of what happens in a game of football, nothing makes it ok.”
Mr Richardson said the club is continuing to support Rioli and his family, as well as other First Nations players and staff, who are all impacted when this type of thing happened.
He said the issue had overshadowed what was an enthralling encounter between the top two in the AFL.
“Racism has no place in our game and indeed no place in our community,” he explained.
“The football club is supporting the AFL and Collingwood in investigating this matter. The reality is, it was a fantastic game of football and this issue just taints that.
“We have to be better as a society and as a community and we’ll do whatever we can with our platform to call out this reprehensible behaviour.
“We’ll continue to support Willie and all our First Nations players and their families at this time.”
The Club will do whatever it can to assist the AFL and Collingwood Football Club in their investigation to hold this reprehensible behaviour to account.
It is the second time this season Rioli had been the target of such abuse, and Mr Richardson said the club would continue to call it out to educate people that racism is not acceptable.
“As a society, we just need to be better,” he said. “Football should unite, it shouldn’t divide.
“The focus after last night really should have been one of the great games of the season and unfortunately this issue keeps coming up.
“It’s incredibly disappointing. It causes deep hurt and harm to people and I just don’t even understand what would go through someone’s mind to think that that’s ok, it’s just not and it needs to be called out.”
The club has asked for Rioli’s privacy be respected at this time.
