North's Daw hurt by racial abuse - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

North's Daw hurt by racial abuse

Greg Buckle 05/06/2011 08:20:01 PM Comments (0)

North Melbourne's Sudanese-born rookie Majak Daw admits he was hurt after being the victim of racial abuse from a spectator during a VFL match at Port Melbourne on Saturday.

Daw was playing for the Kangaroos' feeder team Werribee when the vilification occurred.

"It was quite a shock to me, that happening, but I suppose I can't control what other people are going to say," said Daw.

"All I've got to do is not dwell on it and move on."

The male spectator was ejected from the ground by police at halftime and faced further sanctions.

"It definitely did (hurt me)," Daw told the Nine Network.

"I was pretty flat in the first quarter and that carried on throughout the day and last night.

"But I'm feeling better now. I've had a lot of support from family, friends and the club, from Port Melbourne and Werribee and the VFL.

North Melbourne coach Brad Scott said the abuse was disgusting and added the man responsible should gain an appreciation of Daw's background as a war refugee.

"I just reaffirmed to him (Daw) our horror, really, and disgust that there are still certain elements in Australian society that would resort to that disgusting behaviour," Scott said.

"Maybe the man who made the comments should do a little bit of research into Maj's background and maybe just think himself lucky he was born in this country."

North Melbourne president James Brayshaw said no-one should have to endure what Daw - who is yet to make his AFL debut - did.

"I thought with Jimmy Krakouer and Nicky Winmar and Michael Long, the stand those blokes took back in the 1980s has gotten rid of all of this," Brayshaw told the Nine Network.

"But maybe we've been asleep at the wheel a little bit. Maybe we need to get stronger with it.

"You should never have to put up with that. I tend to swing towards a life (ban) but education is what it has got to be."

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire was also involved in a heated argument with a St Kilda fan at Saturday night's match at the MCG, after the Saints supporter made derogatory comments about the Magpies' Aboriginal forward Andrew Krakouer.

But McGuire denied on Sunday there was any racial element to the Krakouer incident.

"There was an unsavoury comment earlier on and then, later in the game, the same guy went off where he just said 'kick him while he's down'," McGuire told the Nine Network.

"It just had a real edge to it. The first one I let go through.

"The second one I just said 'hey listen, you've had two, there won't be a third'.

"It wasn't just me around the place. Other people were outraged by it."

McGuire said a ground official took the Saints fan's number and there was no further trouble.

"I don't mind people barracking for their team. But there was an edge to this against Andrew Krakouer," McGuire said.

"It was a very demeaning way to speak of any person, whether black or white. We don't want that creeping back into the game."

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