October 10th 2024.
Carl Peterson, a former player for Hawthorn, was recently involved in a controversial incident at the airport that has caused some serious commotion within the AFL club. According to the club, Peterson appeared to be under the influence of either alcohol or drugs, and even lost his clothing after being picked up by a club official. This has raised some concerns and has brought attention to the club's former coach Alastair Clarkson, his assistant Chris Fagan, and former welfare manager Jason Burt, who have been accused of unlawful discrimination in the Federal Court.
The lead applicant in this case is Cyril Rioli, a star player who is supported by his wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli, Peterson, Jermaine Miller-Lewis, his partner Montanah-Rae Lewis, and former Indigenous liaison officer Leon Egan. The accusations against Clarkson, Fagan, and Burt have been denied and they have rejected any claims of racism. In fact, the club has released a statement claiming that this case is an "abuse of process".
To provide some context, Peterson returned to his hometown of Perth in 2009 due to his grandfather's serious illness during the mid-season break of the VFL. The club has stated that when Peterson was picked up by then-development coach David Flood from Melbourne Airport, he was "incoherent" and seemed to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs. He even informed Flood that he had no money in his bank account and had lost his clothing.
It is worth mentioning that Peterson has had issues with alcohol in the past and was delisted from Richmond due to his alcohol use. Court documents state that his partner Nikita Rotumah became concerned about his drug use and behavior and even informed the club about it. She later became pregnant with their son in May 2009. However, Peterson was delisted from the club in 2010 after it was revealed that he had used marijuana during an elimination final.
During a meeting with Clarkson, Fagan, and Burt, Peterson was allegedly told to end his relationship with Nikita and focus solely on his football career. Rioli also claims that Clarkson warned him to be careful not to have children as it could affect his career. He even recalls the coach questioning his skin color when he showed up unannounced in Alice Springs while visiting his sick father in the hospital.
The players involved in this case claim that they have suffered injuries, losses, and damages due to their experiences at the club, including psychological harm, distress, and a loss of earnings and earning capacity. However, the club has stated that Peterson, Rioli, and Miller-Lewis cannot recover damages for non-economic loss as they have not sustained significant injuries.
Following a mediation between the group and those accused of racism, which was terminated by the Human Rights Commission in May, Hawthorn commissioned a cultural safety review in 2022 to address the allegations of mistreatment of First Nations players at the club. An AFL investigation later concluded that there were no adverse findings against Clarkson, Fagan, and Burt. For any crisis support, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can contact 13YARN anytime.
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