A 13-year-old girl who was ejected from the MCG for racially abusing Adam Goodes had no idea ''ape'' was a racist slur when she yelled it at the Sydney Swans star during their demolition of Collingwood, according to Eddie McGuire.
The Collingwood president said he had spoken to the teenage girl, from country Victoria, who did not know it was the AFL's Indigenous Round and had no idea her comments would cause such offence when she yelled at Goodes from her seat during Friday night's game.
Goodes, a two-time Brownlow medallist and one of the sport's most decorated indigenous players, stopped play to point out the Collingwood fan to security staff following the offensive comment, and she was later escorted from the ground by security staff.
Goodes, who played a starring role in Sydney's 15.12.102 to 8.7.55 defeat of Collingwood, said the girl's remarks had shocked him.
McGuire told ABC radio on Monday he had spoken to the girl, who ''didn't even know that it was racist''. ''I think, you know, she might have lit a fuse that she didn't even understand was involved,'' McGuire said. ''She didn't even know it was the Indigenous Round. She was a 13-year-old girl from … country Victoria, she had no idea what she was doing, what she was saying, or anything else.''
It has since emerged Goodes and teammate Lewis Jetta were the target of more abuse during Friday night's game. Footage aired on Sunday showed a man wearing a Collingwood jersey screaming at indigenous players: ''Give it to Goodes because he is black. Give it to Jetta because he is black. It's indigenous round umpire.''
McGuire went into the Sydney Swans' change rooms on Friday night to personally apologise to Goodes, whom he said handled the situation admirably.
Goodes did not want the girl to become a scapegoat, McGuire said.
McGuire said more work clearly needed to be done to address the problem of racism, not only in sport but in Australian society. He blamed politicians for sending mixed messages on such issues as asylum seekers.
''Politicians set the tone for the type of country that we will get and the voters go along with it,'' he said. ''We all have to decide whether we're going to be a redneck, hick country, or we are going to be a country that is very much involved in tolerance.''
But at the same time McGuire said attitudes had come a long way in 20 years, when he was told it was acceptable to hurl racist abuse at indigenous players.
Fans should be able to go to the football without ''bile coming out of your mouth'' every time an opposition player gets the ball, he said. ''Go to the footy and enjoy yourself, barrack for your team, teach your kids about the ups and downs of life … that's what it's all about.''
