‘Disgusting’ racism: Gold Coast Suns again targeted by social media trolls
The Gold Coast Suns have forwarded another social media troll investigation to the AFL following racist comments online directed at a player before the club’s match-winning season opener at the weekend.
If identified, the troll will be stripped of any AFL club or league memberships.
The move comes just weeks after the club spearheaded a search and potential ban on a social media user who attempted to body shame Suns AFLW fan favourite Sarah Perkins.
It also follows an earlier investigation into a social media user who posted racist comments in October directed at the same Suns player, high profile recruit Mabior Chol.
With the 2022 AFL season barely a week old, and other high profile winter codes also in the early stages of competition, it is yet another case of online trolls ramping up their racial slurs of sports stars and their families, demeaning women, and anonymously spreading vicious and vile abuse.
The October social media attack erupted just days after the Sudanese-born ruck-forward joined the Gold Coast on a four-year deal and was first called out by Chol, who shared a screenshot of the abusive direct message on Instagram.
Both the Gold Coast and Chol’s former club Richmond condemned the racist remark and worked with the AFL to find the culprit.
At the weekend, it was the Gold Coast club that went on the front foot over the comment on the Suns Twitter feed that was posted just before the game on Sunday.
“As a football club we condemn the behaviour of a social media troll in the build-up to our Round 1 game,” the Suns said in a statement.
“Their actions and intentions to racially vilify a Gold Coast Suns player is quite simply disgusting and we won’t stand for it.
“We must and will continue to call these abhorrent actions out for what they are and support our players and their families wholeheartedly.
“Everyone must take the time to understand the impact racism has on its victim and those around them.”
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AFL executive general manager of finance, broadcasting and clubs, Travis Auld, said calling out the comments and identifying trolls was the strongest antidote currently available to the scourge of racist social media comments.
“Unfortunately this is not new, and it’s not going to go away quickly,” Auld said.
“There’s no excuse for it, there’s no room for it. It won’t be tolerated. The challenge remains identifying these people and if we can identify them, there will be consequences and those consequences will be significant.
“We’ve just got to keep calling it out – any behaviour that’s unacceptable, we’ve got to call out and take action where we can.”
