Introduction: the AFL's Rule 35

Abstract

This introductory paper lays the foundation for this important work. This is the first time that a multidisciplinary, systematic study has been conducted into the Australian Football League#x0027;s (AFL) Rule 351 – the first code of conduct introduced by an elite sporting organization in the world to deal with racial, religious and sexual vilification. Social and sport history in Australia will be discussed to further contextualize the importance of the research.

Acknowledgements

This project took seven years from the time it was conceived until its completion. The authors would like to thank the following people for their work, support and advice over that time. Garry Robins, Cory McGrath, Nick Hatzoglou, Kelly Applebee, Pippa Grange, Matt Finnis, Paul Oliver, Nadia Taib, Shane McCurry, Rod Austin, Colin McLeod, Ali Fahour, Patrick Clifton, Colin Gallagher, Tony Hedges and Norwich City Football Club, Antoinette Dillon, Monique Laves, Jo Tropea, Ann Dillon, Megan Ponsford, George Lekakis, Wayne Ludbey, Andrew Demetriou, Hakan Akyol, Sue Clark, Ciannon Cazaly, Jess Coyle, Caitlyn McKenzie Tony Birch, Robert Hillman, Andrew Reeves, Barry Judd, Lionel Frost, Annette Gorman, the Australian Football League Players Association, the Australian Football League, the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship, Paul Leonard, Hugh Thorn, Jolanta Nowak, Andrew Gunstone, Chris McConville, Yorgos Tserexidis, The Wesleyanne, Museum for Australian Democracy at Eureka (MADE), Ed and Al Brunetti and Noel Fermanis. Thanks also to Clare Hall Cambridge, The Menzies Centre for Australian Studies at King's College London, Curtin University, Melbourne University, Swinburne University, Monash University and Federation University Australia and the Australian Research Council Linkage Projects Scheme for providing time and resources to undertake reviewing Rule 35 project research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

^1. In 2013, due to the expanding nature of the initiative to encompass a range of themes and issues around vilification, the AFL updated the rule, known as Rule 30 since its inception, and in 1995, it became Rule 35. The difference between AFL ‘Rules’ and AFL ‘Laws’ is this: the rules relate more to the administration of the game, whereas the laws refer to the actual game itself (i.e. umpiring decisions).

^2. The AFL is the administration body for the game generally known as Australian Rules Football or Aussie Rules.

^3. ANZAC stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. Anzac Day is commemorated on the day ANZAC troops landed at Gallipoli in Turkey, 25 April 1915. ANZAC Day is a day of national significance, afforded a national public holiday and is equivalent to Remembrance Day in Europe.

^4. At AFL matches across the country today, electronic broadcasts to all patrons are played before each game stating that racial vilification at the ground will not be tolerated and will result in fines and/or ejection from the arena.

^5. The authors Gorman and Lusher have made multiple requests to the AFL to supply this information over the last four years, asking only for a listing of the number of incidents that had gone to mediation and the number that had been successful and that needed to be arbitrated. This information had not been provided by the AFL at the time of going to press.

^6. The term ‘Blackfella(s)’ is a generic colloquial term in Australia that refers to pan-Aboriginality. It is not an insult or a pejorative term.

^7. The term Boong is a highly derogatory word aimed mainly at Indigenous Australians; it is similar to the use of the pejoratives coon and nigger.

^8. The Australian state of Victoria, in which the VFL was based, was the premier state for Aussie Rules in Australia. In 1990, it changed to become the AFL, incorporating teams from Victoria and also other states of Australia.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by the Australian Research Council Linkage Projects Scheme. Partner Organizations The Office of Multicultural Affairs and Citizenship Victoria, The Australian Football League's Players Association and the Australian Football League. Grant Number LP100200093.