Sam Newman, Don Scott and Mike Sheahan have formally apologised to Indigenous AFL great Nicky Winmar, and will pay a reported six-figure settlement, after comments that the trio made questioning his famed stance against racism.
On a recent episode of the ‘You Can’t Be Serious‘ podcast, the three discussed the historic moment when Winmar lifted his jumper and pointed to the colour of his skin, as a gesture in defiance of racial abuse following St Kilda’s defeat of Collingwood in 1993.
Some make comments to create a headline, others make a stand that lasts a lifetime. pic.twitter.com/K5KBVGtV8k
— St Kilda FC (@stkildafc) June 26, 2020
The trio claimed that his gesture was not a response to racism but was instead a celebration of his team’s “gusty” effort during the game.
Winmar and photographer Wayne Ludbey launched legal action in response, with Winmar himself saying that the trio had painted him as a liar in their remarks. “These White fellas are tarnishing my legacy,” he said.
Apropos of recent events, I found myself looking through the newspaper accounts Gary Osmond & I found for our history of Nicky Winmar’s iconic gesture against racism in Australia.
And found this paragraph by Mike Sheahan which was published a week after Winmar’s gesture: pic.twitter.com/lUjRiGLyMR
— Matthew Klugman (@Raw_Toast) July 2, 2020
ESPN reports that Sam Newman, along with Scott and Sheahan, attended a formal mediation session yesterday, facilitated by Indigenous broadcaster Stan Grant and former Federal Court judge Raymond Finkelstein.
The session resulted in a formal apology to Winmar and Ludbey, with the trio to make another apology on the podcast where the comments were initially made. Two episodes in which Winmar was discussed will be taken down.
It is understood that the mediation also resulted in an agreement to pay a six-figure settlement in the form of a donation to an Indigenous charity.
In their apology, Sam Newman, Don Scott and Mike Sheahan said:
“During our 23 June 2020 podcast, we talked about Nicky lifting his jumper and pointing to his skin at the end of the 1993 Collingwood and St Kilda match during which he had been racially abused. We acknowledge what Nicky did was an act of Indigenous pride and defiance. It was also a powerful statement of solidarity for Indigenous Australians who are subjected to racism and vilification.”
“Any suggestion otherwise was wrong. We have reflected deeply on the issues. We accept what was said during the podcast has damaged Nicky’s reputation. We understand many people would regard what we said as racially discriminatory of Nicky and Indigenous Australians. For all these reasons, we sincerely apologise to Nicky Winmar and to Indigenous Australians generally.”
While leaving the mediation session, Winmar said he is happy that this issue is resolved, but that but “we still have to work on a few things”.
