The long-running and explosive Hawthorn racism scandal is finally over.
After bombshell accusations rocked the football world two years ago, the case is now closed and a settlement has been reached.
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Following two days of mediation, it has been reported that “the club and the former players and their partners” have come to an agreement and reached a settlement.
A News Corp report says “Hawthorn are expected to make an announcement in the next 24 hours”.
The scandal engulfed legendary coaches Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan, and former Hawthorn welfare manager Jason Burt.
The highest profile player involved was the club’s four-time premiership hero Cyril Rioli.
Rioli was the lead applicant alongside his wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli, Carl Peterson and Jermaine Miller-Lewis, his partner Montanah-Rae Lewis, and Hawthorn’s former Indigenous liaison officer Leon Egan.
One of the most sensational allegations made at the time was that Peterson was told to break up with his partner in 2009 and he was also told to tell his partner to terminate their pregnancy.
Clarkson, now North Melbourne coach, Brisbane coach Fagan and Burt always denied any wrongdoing and rejected accusations of racism.
Rioli also claimed that Clarkson warned him to “be careful not to have babies” as that would disrupt his career in 2011.
The claims from the players included allegations from Rioli that Clarkson called him “Humphrey B Bear” which “thereby associated Mr Rioli with a black bear and chose to publicly refer to him in that way”.
As part of the claims, the players said they suffered injury, loss and damage from their experiences at the club, including distress, pain and suffering, psychological harm and a loss of earnings and earning capacity.
The AFL’s independent inquiry into the issue made “no adverse findings” against Clarkson, Fagan and Burt.
Hawthorn commissioned and released the findings from a cultural safety review in 2022 to investigate allegations of systemic mistreatment of First Nations players at the club.
The whole saga rattled Clarkson who took indefinite leave from coaching duties at North Melbourne in 2023.
The club said at the time it was supporting Clarkson and commended him for putting his health first.
“Everyone involved has been deeply affected by the Hawthorn investigation and the burden on Alastair has been significant,” North Melbourne said in 2023.
– With AAP