Campbelltown Collegians, the club in the middle of a storm following a brawl at an under 18s game last weekend, has gone on the front foot, revealing they flagged racial abuse to NSWRL 12 months ago.
The club have issued a public statement in which they reveal their Under 18 playing group have “endured repeated incidents of racial abuse from spectators over the past two years’’.
“Twelve months ago, our rugby league football club formally raised these issues with NSWRL because we believed then, as we do now, that there is no place for racism in our game or our community,’’ the 67 year old footy club said in their statement.
“Racism has a real impact on young people. Every player, official, volunteer and family should be able to attend a rugby league match without being subjected to racial vilification or discrimination.
“Campbelltown Collegians RLFC will continue to stand up for our players, our families and our community.
“We will continue to work with the appropriate governing bodies to address unacceptable behaviour and will always stand firmly against racial abuse in any form, whether it comes from players, officials or supporter groups.
“Campbelltown Collegians RLFC is a proud and strong multicultural rugby league football club.
“We remain committed to welcoming and supporting players from all ethnicities, cultures, and backgrounds across all of our male and female teams.
“Respect, inclusion, and community are values that sit at the heart of our club.’’
The brawl occurred after the Under 18s match between Collegians and The Oaks Tigers at Dudley Chesham Oval, The Oaks, on Sunday, July 19.
“Since the incident on Sunday, our rugby league football club has fully cooperated with the NSW Police investigation,’’ the Collegians said in their statement.
“The players involved, along with their families, have met with police and are supporting the due process.
“We will continue to cooperate with the relevant authorities and respect the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
“As a rugby league football club, we do not condone the reaction of our players.
We expect all members representing Campbelltown Collegians RLFC to uphold the values of respect, discipline and sportsmanship, and we will continue working closely with our playing group to ensure they are supported and educated in responding appropriately in difficult situations.
“However, we cannot remain silent about the issue of racial abuse,’’ the club said.
The NSWRL, which has not made a statement on the incident, has quietly banned 10 Collegians players from the Under team that took part in the game at The Oaks.
And there are reports, unconfirmed by NSW Police, two fans, who may be Oaks Tigers fans or supporters, have been charged by Camden Police over their alleged participation in the brawl.
“We ask our community to allow the investigation to run its course and to respect the privacy of those involved,’’ the Collegians said in their statement.
“Our focus remains on supporting our young people, promoting respect within our game, and ensuring rugby league is a safe and inclusive environment for everyone.’’
