Adam Goodes, former Australian rules footballer - BBC HARDtalk

Nowhere has the symbolic power of the Black Lives Matter movement been more evident than in the sports arena. All too often racism undermines the notion of a level playing field. HARDtalk’s Stephen Sackur speaks to an athlete who made a stand. Adam Goodes was a star player in Aussie rules football. One of the greatest ever players of Aboriginal descent, he quit the game after years of racist abuse. What lessons can Australia and the wider world learn from his experience?

[@bradr1913]

As an American Indian I'm proud of this guy. He called out football for supporting this racism. You got 60k people using linguist racism. What is football teaching there children and explain to me how that's fair to indigenous children. How that fair to our children. He's a real hero maybe not in your country but on our reservation he's a real warrior. He's got a beautiful culture I'd love to go to ceremony over there in his country. To him I say big aho!! He's smart to taking care of his mental health.

[@martinbullocklawyers3083]

A true hero. Compassionate, articulate and proud. A man we should emulate. He coped with 2 years of racist bullying as a result of simply standing up against racism. The blackfella who wouldn't stay in his box. As he said "Racism. It stops with me." I stand with Adam.

[@tempusfugit7662]

I'm 54, we had an aboriginal kid at my primary school, and he played footy, soccer, cricket, and anything else we did. No one abused him, shunned him, abused him, or limited his opportunities in school. Aboriginal people are a minority in Australia, so we can't avoid this fact. We mst stop aligning ourselves along race lines and rather use merit and judge people on their character and actions. And by the way, there are plenty of "white" folks who live in poverty, changing schools, trying to find their place (I'm one of them). And there are just as many barriers in the path of the large number of people who don't come from money or go to the right schools - regardless of colour, ethnicity, etc. Don't forget that when you see the white majority, you infer they are part of the British colialisation, but in reality many of the "white" Australians are of European descent from many European countries. They came as immigrants, and their ancestors had no part in anything done to Aboriginal people. Yet they are lumped in as evil white oppressors.

[@robynd970]

how would you know what that aboriginal kid went through .. if your white living in a white country you wouldnt have a clue what racisim is about or how it feels .. you assume this kid was fine .. you were not in his skin to feel what he felt like or what he lived .. sorry my friend its so common to say what you say but its not the reality

[@Roadrunnerz45]

as an australian i am sorry adam we did this to you.

[@kalavanipillay8984]

👍👍

[@lostinspace699]

No

[@TheGilbalfas]

This man is a hero and a good egg

[@carlosciii5660]

Emotional little girl is what this man is..

[@lostinspace699]

No

[@dickiesdocos]

I'd love to see this guy become our PM. He'd be a great leader.

[@louaiga74]

You are an inspiration Adam and so strong to stand up for what is right. Champion bloke👍🇦🇺#istandwithadam

[@louaiga74]

@Luke Mc no I don't really see him as egotistical,Just a strong proud indigenous Australian man. Sam newman on the other hand....🤔

[@louaiga74]

@Luke Mc hahaha you're having a laugh! He has done more for aboriginal kids than useless newman haha newman hasn't achieved a single thing In his life execpt hate on adam goodes,in other words hes an absolute NOBODY LOL Adam goodes achievements and accolades are longer than sams arm,that's probably why he hates on him so much haha what a loser smh

[@louaiga74]

@Luke Mc newman is a flop! If newman wasn't such an open racist,and didn't have a small white penis,he may of been considered for the extended group list of nominees for Australian of the year,but unfortunately he didn't make the cut.(crowd: awwwwwww)

[@feartheduck6664]

I believe 10% of what he says and don’t believe the rest.

[@dannyboy9573]

Can you elaborate?

[@roseadams8003]

The public education system needs to change. Little children can be taught to love and respect. Sounds like a lot of parents aren’t doing it at home

[@anthonyjay429]

Helped me understand the BLM movement, always been against racism but didn't under this movement. Think I get it now.

[@JahidHasan-st2ki]

I like this programme..

[@ExternalInputs]

He was booed by rival fans because he was seen as a dirty player and someone who carried on like a tosser. The AFL bought in a rule against the slide tackle, which is like a late tackle in football that takes the legs rather than the ball and can result in a red card. There is a possibility of severe ankle and leg injury with that style of tackle and Goodes use of it was one of the reasons for the rule's introducton. The attention he received from opposition team fans was mainly because of this. His assertion that being booed MUST be racist in nature ignores the reality that many saw him as a prick. An examination of internet football forums will confirm this. There is a tradition of booing in the AFL. Certain umpires cop it constantly, players that switch teams can expect it when they play they play their old club and someone seen as a flogger or tosser will be targeted by the crowd. While this booing was occuring there were over sixty players with indigenous backrounds playing in the AFL, yet only Goodes was being targeted. Another player, who had retired before the Goodes saga, Jeff Farmer, was often booed, yet I don't recall that ever being considered racist in origin. He was thought to be a dirty player, although in fairness, he was targeted to make him lose his temper and put him off his game and his reaction was caught on camera, not all the niggles that lead to it. Australian football has had players from many nationalities over the years, and many of those with European backgrounds suffered plenty of racist abuse from the predominantly Anglo-Saxon Australians at the time. You didn't need to play football to cop it either, it was everywhere. Yet those players only make a passing reference to it when pressed, rather than making a career out of complaining like Heritier Lumumba and Goodes. Maybe it was coming from Europe with just a few suitcases, without language skills, qualifications unrecognised, many having suffered deaths of family and friends, suffering a real invasion and some the actual Holocaust that put being called names into perspective.

[@drbosommd]

They saw him as a prick because they were racist .

[@salk2555]

He did the right thing, shows his strength

[@lostinspace699]

Playing a game and getting paid enough for a nice home in Sidney , like Just shut up ,,,

[@allanfarran364]

Great great man

[@KaloustGuedel]

Stephen Sackur, looks like you couldn't take the hit for interviewing from an ignorant position (you came across as unfamiliar with the issues you were discussing) with Nikol Pashinyan - Prime Minister of Armenia interview. The reason I posted here is the "Comments are turned off". Evidently Azerbaijanis caviar diplomacy has started to control British journalism.

[@thetetchy]

Have a cry Adam. I hate racism but this guy is soft

[@drbosommd]

You don't get to play 370 games of AFL football by being soft . The guy is tougher than you have or will ever be.

[@thetetchy]

@@drbosommd I was deployed in Afghanistan, come again?

[@drbosommd]

@@thetetchy whatever racist.

[@thetetchy]

@@drbosommd What'd I say that was racist? I didn't say they weren't racist too him, I am saying he needs to get over it. There are worse things that can happen to you other then being called a racist slur.

[@drbosommd]

@@thetetchy sure there are worse things than being called a racist slur but that doesn't mean we accept it and move on . Lung cancer is worse than bowel cancer but we don't say " it's only bowel cancer . Lighten up soy boy ". You are just proving that you don't care about racism .

[@justme92able]

I see comment section open on any video I randomly opened until now except for the one with Nikol Pashinyan. Steven learn to handle criticism. You made strong claims and couldn't back them up with the necessary scientific source. It's no surprise that you be biased and partial as a journalist, but to spread false claims is unacceptable. Please quit lazy journalism.