1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,640 Speaker 1: Already and this is this is the Daily This is 2 00:00:03,680 --> 00:00:06,840 Speaker 1: the Daily OS. Oh, now it makes sense. 3 00:00:14,680 --> 00:00:17,120 Speaker 2: Good morning and welcome to the Daily OS. It's Thursday, 4 00:00:17,160 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 2: the twenty first of August. I'm Zam Kazlowski. 5 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:20,919 Speaker 1: I'm Emma Gillespie. 6 00:00:21,079 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 2: Adelaide Crow's star Isaac Rankin is set to miss a 7 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:27,360 Speaker 2: number of matches that could rule him out of the 8 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 2: AFL finals. This comes after he used a homophobic slur 9 00:00:31,880 --> 00:00:35,479 Speaker 2: against a Collingwood player during their match last weekend, and 10 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 2: it's the sixth homophobic slur incident in the AFL since 11 00:00:39,320 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 2: April of twenty twenty four. On today's podcast, we're going 12 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:46,199 Speaker 2: to dive into the incident itself, the widest sporting and 13 00:00:46,280 --> 00:00:50,160 Speaker 2: social context dominating conversations in the sport, only two weeks 14 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 2: out from the season's final series, and what happens next. 15 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 3: We will get into all of that and more after 16 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 3: a quick message from today's sponsor. 17 00:01:01,360 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 2: Sam. 18 00:01:01,640 --> 00:01:05,240 Speaker 3: We're talking today about this homophobic slur incident in the AFL, 19 00:01:05,280 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 3: But before we get to what happened, let's talk about 20 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,240 Speaker 3: the player at the center of this controversy. Now, for 21 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:16,399 Speaker 3: myself and novices alike, I had not heard about Isaac 22 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:21,000 Speaker 3: Rankin until this incident. I am not really an AFL girly, 23 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 3: but it's certainly a story that's been dominating headlines, so 24 00:01:24,600 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 3: I really want to understand more. 25 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,000 Speaker 1: But tell me about Isaac Rankin, the player. 26 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:30,840 Speaker 2: Well, I think it's fair to say that if you 27 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 2: are an AFL fan, but also if you're from Adelaide, 28 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,280 Speaker 2: you would know the name Isaac Rankin. Ok He's a 29 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 2: twenty five year old forward and midfielder for the Adelaide Crows. 30 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 2: He's considered one of their best players. He spent four 31 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:46,600 Speaker 2: seasons his first four seasons at the Gold Coast Suns 32 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 2: before he made the move to Adelaide in twenty twenty three. 33 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 2: He's one of their highest paid and most marketable players, 34 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 2: so the type of player you would see on the 35 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:58,440 Speaker 2: poster as you drive through Adelaide or fly into Adelaide Airport. Now, 36 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 2: many AFL observers say that this year has been his 37 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 2: best season in the league, and if we look at 38 00:02:05,040 --> 00:02:07,920 Speaker 2: the team in general, it's fair to say Adelaide is 39 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:10,679 Speaker 2: the best team in the competition right now. Okay, they 40 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: are top of the ladder and they're set to play 41 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:17,519 Speaker 2: in their first final series since twenty seventeen. They haven't 42 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: won a premiership since nineteen ninety eight. So for a 43 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,119 Speaker 2: football mad town like Adelaide, this is a really big 44 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:26,200 Speaker 2: deal and a very big time of year. 45 00:02:26,320 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 3: Okay, So we're talking about a really high performing player 46 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 3: on the most dominant team on the ladder this season. 47 00:02:34,160 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 3: He's having a great season, the club's having a great season. 48 00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,040 Speaker 3: But this isn't really a story about football. It's not 49 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,600 Speaker 3: a story about how high performing a player he is. 50 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:46,840 Speaker 1: It's about something much more sinister, right. 51 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, So during Adelaide's match against Collingwood on Saturday nights 52 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:55,040 Speaker 2: last weekend, it's alleged that Ranken directed a homophobic slur 53 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:59,839 Speaker 2: at an opposition player. The AFL's Integrity Unit launched an investigation, 54 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:03,800 Speaker 2: and on Tuesday night, Channel nine's Eddie McGuire reported that 55 00:03:03,880 --> 00:03:07,200 Speaker 2: Rankins season is over. His theory there is that the 56 00:03:07,240 --> 00:03:10,359 Speaker 2: AFL sets a hand down a five match suspension. 57 00:03:10,760 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 3: Okay, So why would a five match ban be so 58 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,200 Speaker 3: significant for Adelaide at this time? 59 00:03:17,639 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 2: Well, Adelaide, as I said, is sitting on top of 60 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 2: the ladder. They're heading into finals. There's one match left 61 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:25,960 Speaker 2: in the regular season. Then they have a maximum of 62 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:29,639 Speaker 2: four games in the final series, the qualifying final, semifinal, 63 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 2: preliminary final, and then the Grand Final, obviously assuming they 64 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 2: make it there. So what that means is that a 65 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:38,840 Speaker 2: five match suspension would rule Rankin' out for the entire 66 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:41,640 Speaker 2: finals campaign, and for a team with their best show 67 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 2: at the Trophies since the late nineties, that is a 68 00:03:45,120 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 2: big blow to the club. 69 00:03:46,360 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 3: Okay, Now, of course this is all context for the 70 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 3: media storm that has ensued around this incident. It's not 71 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:58,200 Speaker 3: necessarily excusing any of the alleged behavior, but I think 72 00:03:58,240 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 3: it's helpful to understand this side For me, kind of 73 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 3: being an outsider, understanding all of the controversy in hype 74 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 3: around this decision. That finals context is certainly critical. 75 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you and I had a chat about that 76 00:04:10,840 --> 00:04:13,600 Speaker 2: before we came in to record this. It felt funny 77 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:16,600 Speaker 2: to start this podcast with an explanation of the football 78 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 2: side of things. But as you say, I do think 79 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 2: it's important in placing this story in the context of 80 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:23,840 Speaker 2: the discussions that we're about to have. 81 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:28,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, pausing there though, specifically about the Isaac Cranken decision, 82 00:04:29,120 --> 00:04:32,000 Speaker 3: This isn't the first incident of its kind. 83 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,760 Speaker 1: When we're talking about the AFL is it. 84 00:04:34,800 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 2: No, And that's also important context. So this is the 85 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:42,600 Speaker 2: sixth recent homophobic slur incident in the competition, and the 86 00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,680 Speaker 2: pattern shows that escalating penalties, So a five match ban 87 00:04:46,960 --> 00:04:51,200 Speaker 2: six match ban isn't actually working. So the latest string 88 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:54,560 Speaker 2: of incidents began with Port Adelaide player Jeremy Finlayson in 89 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:57,280 Speaker 2: April of last year. He received a three match ban. 90 00:04:57,560 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 2: A couple of weeks after that, Gold Coasts will Be 91 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:04,120 Speaker 2: Howe got five matches when the AFL explicitly warned at 92 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 2: that stage of further consequences for other players who would 93 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:09,440 Speaker 2: be found guilty of something like this. 94 00:05:09,600 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: Okay. 95 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 2: Then this year we had Saints player Lance Collard, he 96 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 2: got a six match ban. West Coast Eagle player Jack 97 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,640 Speaker 2: Graham got four matches in July. His ban was lower 98 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,280 Speaker 2: because he self reported the incident to the AFLA and 99 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 2: that was taken into account by the body as a 100 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 2: bit of a mitigating factor there. Sure most recently, Sydney's 101 00:05:30,080 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 2: Reac Andrew received five matches and that was just weeks 102 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:35,039 Speaker 2: before his club's pride game. 103 00:05:35,360 --> 00:05:40,760 Speaker 3: Okay, so a very concerning pattern of behavior across the league. 104 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:45,120 Speaker 3: We're not talking about an isolated culture problem within one club. 105 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 3: You could argue that there is a culture problem right 106 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 3: across the league. So we have a precedent of this behavior, 107 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 3: We have a precedent in terms of penalties for that behavior. 108 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:00,000 Speaker 3: What has the Adelaide Football Club said about the incident 109 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 3: regarding its player. 110 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:04,320 Speaker 2: Well, in the statements released by the Adelaide Football Club 111 00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 2: since the incident, they have come out and said that 112 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:09,200 Speaker 2: they don't condone any sort of homophobia in sport, and 113 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 2: they've given kind of the cavets we expect now from 114 00:06:11,839 --> 00:06:14,520 Speaker 2: clubs responding to this kind of incident. But at the 115 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 2: same time, they've launched a major defense to the AFL, 116 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 2: hoping to get the length of the ban reduced. At 117 00:06:20,760 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 2: the moment, it sounds like what they're hoping for is 118 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 2: a four match ban instead of five, to make Rankin 119 00:06:26,800 --> 00:06:29,840 Speaker 2: potentially eligible for the Grand Final should they be there. 120 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 2: And one of the primary arguments is that Rankin faced 121 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: aggressive verbal attacks from Collingwood players before the incident, including 122 00:06:38,120 --> 00:06:42,400 Speaker 2: comments allegedly made regarding Rankin being knocked out by competing 123 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 2: player Dan Houston last year when he was playing at 124 00:06:46,040 --> 00:06:49,880 Speaker 2: the time for crosstown rival club Port Adelaide. He signed 125 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 2: with Collingwood this season. 126 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 3: Okay, So hang on, just take me back for a second. There, 127 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 3: we're saying that Adelaide Football Club are kind of trying 128 00:06:59,800 --> 00:07:04,039 Speaker 3: to defend the slur or defend the place that Ranken 129 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 3: was in when he made the comment by suggesting that 130 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 3: he was agitated, That he was agitated because he himself 131 00:07:10,840 --> 00:07:14,440 Speaker 3: had suffered a really horrific head knock last year by 132 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 3: a Collingwood player. He wasn't a Collingwood player at the 133 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 3: time exactly, but that he was face to face with 134 00:07:19,440 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 3: that player and that that may have stirred up certain 135 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 3: feelings in him. 136 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 2: Well that more than that, that the player and other 137 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:29,760 Speaker 2: players were taunting him about that injury, okay, and basically 138 00:07:29,880 --> 00:07:32,840 Speaker 2: kind of riling them up. To put that in context though, 139 00:07:32,840 --> 00:07:36,160 Speaker 2: of professional sport, I think that players do this all 140 00:07:36,200 --> 00:07:39,840 Speaker 2: the time to each other without crossing lines that lead to, 141 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:42,240 Speaker 2: you know, being the feature of a podcast like this 142 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 2: is today. So that's not particularly unusual behavior. 143 00:07:45,760 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 3: So not to take away from you know, the seriousness 144 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 3: of these comments, but there was a serious head knock 145 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 3: last year for him. But what you're saying there is, 146 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:57,400 Speaker 3: you know, that doesn't excuse responding with homophobia. 147 00:07:57,480 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 2: I mean, it's up to the IFL to decide whether 148 00:08:00,000 --> 00:08:02,040 Speaker 2: it does or it doesn't. What I would say though, 149 00:08:02,160 --> 00:08:04,640 Speaker 2: is that I think if you asked any sample of 150 00:08:04,680 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 2: AFL players or players across any sport, there would be 151 00:08:07,920 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 2: a fair bit of verbal combat on the sporting field, 152 00:08:11,440 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 2: in the sporting arena. I think that's probably the same 153 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:18,000 Speaker 2: case for the AFLW as well, and so they're mounting 154 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 2: that as their primary argument. Their secondary argument is, hang on, 155 00:08:22,400 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 2: it's not the same to ban a player for five games, 156 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:28,200 Speaker 2: including four finals, as it is to ban a player 157 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 2: for five games which are just as part of the 158 00:08:30,440 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 2: regular season. And that case has never been really put 159 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:38,079 Speaker 2: to the AFL before in this context. It's the first 160 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,680 Speaker 2: time in the context of a homophobic slur, and they're 161 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 2: basically arguing that the nature of the games should be considered. 162 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 3: Okay, puts the AFL in, I'm sure an incredibly difficult position. 163 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 3: But what about the reaction from players. Have we heard 164 00:08:54,480 --> 00:08:55,920 Speaker 3: from all those involved? 165 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:59,200 Speaker 2: Well, the captain of the Adelaid Football Club, his name 166 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 2: is Jordan Dawson, and he said that there wasn't a 167 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 2: cultural issue in the AFL. He said the situation was 168 00:09:04,840 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 2: not ideal. Those were his words. Then a teammate, a 169 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 2: senior teammate, Taylor Walker. He was on Triple M in Adelaide, 170 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:14,360 Speaker 2: and he said that Rankin is quote very remorseful and 171 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 2: understands he's made a mistake and has isolated himself at 172 00:09:18,160 --> 00:09:19,720 Speaker 2: home during this investigation. 173 00:09:20,080 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 3: Okay, So a couple of maybe contrasting reactions from within 174 00:09:24,640 --> 00:09:27,040 Speaker 3: the same club, you know, one kind of dismissing that 175 00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:30,839 Speaker 3: there is a cultural issue across the league, another more 176 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:35,640 Speaker 3: directly confronting the issue and reflecting remorse. But what about 177 00:09:35,679 --> 00:09:38,960 Speaker 3: Isaac Rankin himself? Has he responded directly? 178 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:42,319 Speaker 2: We haven't heard from Rankin himself. We understand that he 179 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:46,079 Speaker 2: called and apologized to the player at the receiving end 180 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:50,600 Speaker 2: of his homophobic comments. We don't know who that player is, oh, okay, 181 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:52,920 Speaker 2: but we do know there has been contact between Rancan 182 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,360 Speaker 2: and this player. Rankin hasn't released any statement publicly though, 183 00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 2: at the time of recording to do with this incident. 184 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:03,079 Speaker 3: All right, So, Sam, you've given us a really good 185 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 3: insight into what happened last weekend what's followed in terms 186 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 3: of the fallout and the reaction. But I can't help 187 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 3: but think about those string of homophobic slurs that you 188 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,720 Speaker 3: explained dating back to kind of April twenty twenty four, 189 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 3: several similar incidents in the year and a half. 190 00:10:20,040 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: Or so that has followed. 191 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 3: I guess to put it in simplest terms, does the 192 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:28,000 Speaker 3: AFL have a homophobia problem? 193 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:33,599 Speaker 2: Well, in April they released their first LGBTQI plus Inclusion 194 00:10:33,679 --> 00:10:37,439 Speaker 2: Action Plan, and in the front statement from the CEO, 195 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:41,280 Speaker 2: Andrew Dillon, he writes, we know that historically the game 196 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 2: of AFL has not always been a safe space for 197 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 2: LGBTQI plus people, and if you look at the report overall, 198 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 2: it clearly acknowledges that not enough has been done in 199 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 2: the sport to make it a safe place not only 200 00:10:53,760 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 2: for players on the field, but coaches, staff and fans, 201 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:00,960 Speaker 2: and it outlines the step that it wants to take 202 00:11:01,040 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 2: to improve that. Now, the really important piece of context 203 00:11:04,640 --> 00:11:08,319 Speaker 2: here is that the AFL remains the only major professional 204 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:11,640 Speaker 2: male sporting code in the world to have never had 205 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,960 Speaker 2: an openly gay or bisexual player past or present. Wow, 206 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:19,200 Speaker 2: it's a remarkable statistic, especially when you consider that tens 207 00:11:19,240 --> 00:11:21,840 Speaker 2: of thousands of players have come through the game since 208 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:25,400 Speaker 2: it started in eighteen ninety seven, and in April of 209 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 2: twenty twenty three, then CEO Gillan McLaughlin said there were 210 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:32,840 Speaker 2: gay players in the sport, but and this is his words, 211 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:35,960 Speaker 2: the pressure and the weight of being that person, of 212 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 2: being the first afl player who comes out and plays 213 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:42,360 Speaker 2: as an out gay man was too much. It is 214 00:11:42,360 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 2: also worth mentioning that several members of the AFLW, the 215 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:49,960 Speaker 2: women's competition, which only started last weekend, are openly part 216 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,719 Speaker 2: of the LGBTQIA plus community. 217 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:53,120 Speaker 1: Yeah. 218 00:11:53,120 --> 00:11:56,520 Speaker 3: I wanted to draw that comparison because I think it 219 00:11:56,760 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 3: says a lot. We've got the afl W and all 220 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:05,520 Speaker 3: of the kind of inclusive messaging around that league, that competition. 221 00:12:05,600 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 3: You know, it's all about visibility and empowering young girls 222 00:12:09,880 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 3: and including as many people as possible. And then this 223 00:12:13,880 --> 00:12:17,000 Speaker 3: really stark contrast of a league that is over one 224 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 3: hundred years old but hasn't yet had a player comfortable 225 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:23,760 Speaker 3: or confident enough to openly come out. 226 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 2: Well. Advocacy organizations point to the use of pride rounds 227 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 2: as an example here. So the AFLW has a pride round. 228 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 2: It's in its fifth year now, and you know, this 229 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,240 Speaker 2: provides a conversation point in the season, both visibly and 230 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:42,520 Speaker 2: in the conversations happening in media and within clubs. But 231 00:12:42,600 --> 00:12:46,199 Speaker 2: this contrasts to the men's game where currently there's only 232 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 2: a single pride game, so one game within one round 233 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,800 Speaker 2: that's played each year that's hosted by the Sydney Swans, 234 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:55,800 Speaker 2: and that's in its ninth year, so we haven't seen 235 00:12:56,000 --> 00:13:00,239 Speaker 2: the expansion of that pride game format across the men's COMPETI. 236 00:13:00,840 --> 00:13:04,400 Speaker 3: It's interesting, and you know, I'm sure a lot of experts, 237 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:06,840 Speaker 3: a lot of people more qualified than me, will have 238 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 3: fascinating takes on you know, why the game is this way, 239 00:13:12,160 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 3: But any elite sport I think to understand its culture, 240 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:19,400 Speaker 3: it is helpful to go back to the more grassroots 241 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,880 Speaker 3: community club level to understand the future of that game. 242 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:27,920 Speaker 3: And there is some concerning data in that respect. When 243 00:13:27,960 --> 00:13:31,040 Speaker 3: we're thinking about Ozzie Rules. There was this Australian first 244 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:33,120 Speaker 3: study I just quickly want to tell you about into 245 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:37,160 Speaker 3: the participation of LGBTQ plus youth in sport, and what 246 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:40,760 Speaker 3: we learned from that is it over half of LGBTQ 247 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:45,560 Speaker 3: plus young people have witnessed discrimination in sport, forty percent 248 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:49,760 Speaker 3: have experienced it personally, and a twenty nineteen report found 249 00:13:49,960 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 3: seventy three percent of male amateur AFL players aged between 250 00:13:54,200 --> 00:13:58,439 Speaker 3: sixteen and twenty had heard their teammates using homophobic slurs. 251 00:13:58,600 --> 00:14:01,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, this is kind of the bigger conversation 252 00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 2: to have and possibly its own episode of the podcast. 253 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 2: Is that we're talking about the elite level of sport, 254 00:14:08,080 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 2: but these are the role models of the game, and 255 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 2: we know that behavior is mirrored through all levels of sport, 256 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 2: way down to junior sport for kids in primary and high. 257 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:20,680 Speaker 3: School, and all the way up to things like halftime entertainment. 258 00:14:20,920 --> 00:14:22,960 Speaker 3: There is a bit of a conversation going on right 259 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:26,520 Speaker 3: now about Snoop Dogg. He's been named as this year's 260 00:14:26,640 --> 00:14:31,160 Speaker 3: Grand Final entertainment. That decision has proved to be relevant 261 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 3: to this story. 262 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:35,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, how so. Well, Snoop Dogg has a documented history 263 00:14:36,040 --> 00:14:40,239 Speaker 2: of homophobic statements, and I wanted to kind of encapsulate 264 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:43,000 Speaker 2: this with a line from an editorial published by the 265 00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:47,160 Speaker 2: Age newspaper in Melbourne yesterday. It says Snoop Dogg came 266 00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 2: up through the ranks of rapidom on a platform of sexist, 267 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 2: misogynistic views. That may well have been the audience to 268 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,840 Speaker 2: which he was performing, but context comes into play here. 269 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:59,920 Speaker 2: Many are questioning the choice on a day of family 270 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:04,280 Speaker 2: entertainment interesting and basically it makes this case that on 271 00:15:04,280 --> 00:15:07,600 Speaker 2: one hand, the AFL is suspending players for homophobic slurs 272 00:15:08,080 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 2: while simultaneously paying a large sum of money to an 273 00:15:12,120 --> 00:15:15,600 Speaker 2: artist who has used similar language. Now the AFL has 274 00:15:15,640 --> 00:15:19,400 Speaker 2: come out the CEO and said that Snoop would perform 275 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 2: quote family friendly songs and suggested that some critics might 276 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:28,720 Speaker 2: actually be converted after the performance. It's not just LGBTQI 277 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:32,720 Speaker 2: plus organizations raising concerns about Snoop Dogg performing. We've also 278 00:15:32,760 --> 00:15:36,600 Speaker 2: heard from violence prevention organizations with some of that misogynistic 279 00:15:36,640 --> 00:15:38,800 Speaker 2: context in Snoop Dogg's lyrics too. 280 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:40,800 Speaker 1: Okay, not that it's funny. 281 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 3: I was just trying to imagine Snoop Dogg performing a 282 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,720 Speaker 3: family friendly version of drop It like a toot or 283 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:50,080 Speaker 3: Gin and Juice. I look forward to seeing what they 284 00:15:50,120 --> 00:15:53,600 Speaker 3: come up with, Sam. This is a very serious case though, 285 00:15:54,200 --> 00:15:56,240 Speaker 3: So where does this leave us? 286 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: What happens next? 287 00:15:57,800 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 2: So the AFL is expected to announce the penalty today. 288 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:04,440 Speaker 2: These backroom conversations have been happening between the club and 289 00:16:04,480 --> 00:16:07,440 Speaker 2: the Code. Adelaide is expected to be given a bit 290 00:16:07,480 --> 00:16:10,640 Speaker 2: of time to respond and potentially appeal the verdict. It's 291 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:14,800 Speaker 2: a bit of an unorthodox negotiation process happening regardless of 292 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:18,600 Speaker 2: the band, though we are now having this broader conversation. Clearly, 293 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:22,280 Speaker 2: you know this is eleven years after the AFL made 294 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 2: a public commitment to eradicate homophobia. We're seeing a trend 295 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 2: at least in the last two years that is going 296 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 2: the wrong way. So I guess what happens with Rankin's 297 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 2: penalty today is of course going to be significant for 298 00:16:34,920 --> 00:16:39,920 Speaker 2: Adelaide's premiership hopes, but the broader cultural issues here clearly 299 00:16:40,200 --> 00:16:43,880 Speaker 2: are going to require more than individual punishments to resolve. 300 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:47,280 Speaker 3: A fascinating story, and we'll keep an eye on it 301 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:50,280 Speaker 3: and you can find all the updates in our sport 302 00:16:50,360 --> 00:16:53,840 Speaker 3: newsletter every single day that drops in your inbox. There'll 303 00:16:53,840 --> 00:16:55,560 Speaker 3: be a sign up link in the show notes if 304 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:56,840 Speaker 3: you want to get around that. 305 00:16:56,840 --> 00:16:58,480 Speaker 1: That's all for today's deep dive. 306 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:01,520 Speaker 3: We will be back later on with your evening news headlines, 307 00:17:01,560 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 3: but until then, have a great day. 308 00:17:07,240 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 2: My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Arunda 309 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:14,600 Speaker 2: Bunjelung Calkatin woman from Gadighl Country. The Daily Oz acknowledges 310 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:16,800 Speaker 2: that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the 311 00:17:16,840 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 2: Gadighl people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torrestrate 312 00:17:20,680 --> 00:17:23,639 Speaker 2: island and nations. We pay our respects to the first 313 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:26,160 Speaker 2: peoples of these countries, both past and present.