Indigenous TV star Brooke Boney has spoken out on the Today Show to rally around Latrell Mitchell after the Rabbitohs star copped racial abuse from an NRL fan.
As the gun fullback was leaving the field at halftime of South Sydney’s defeat by Penrith at BlueBet Stadium, a fan reportedly wearing a Roosters jersey was heard directing racist abuse at the footy star.
He is understood to have been swiftly removed from the stadium, with the police and NRL launching investigations.
In the aftermath of the Panthers’ 16-10 win, Boney spoke out against racism in footy.
‘As the only Indigenous person here I just want to jump in and I want to say that racism in sport, racism everywhere has to stop,’ she said on Friday.
‘To be able to go to work and do your job is something that everyone should be able to do.
Indigenous TV star Brooke Boney has spoken out on the Today Show to rally around Latrell Mitchell
‘I mean, Latrell Mitchell is a big boy, he can look after himself, but nobody should have to go to work and be abused. That’s disgusting.
‘We have seen it happen before in the AFL. We have seen it happen in other codes and I don’t know what it is that goes through people’s heads. I know this guy was a kid but you should know better. These kids are learning it from somewhere.
‘The thing is, it is not just Latrell then going out on the field. It is kids at home watching this as we report it. It is kids seeing comments on Facebook when the clip gets posted. It is disgusting and it has to stop. It is making people sick.’
It comes after her co-host Alex Cullen called the incident an isolated one and called for the racist fan.
‘I was at that game. I was about four or five bays to the left of where that happened. I didn’t see this incident. This is an isolated incident. I’m at Penrith all the time. They are a great crowd, they are a great community. But what this person did out there is unforgivable,’ he said.
Fans have taken to social media to echo Boney’s thoughts.
‘The racism within rugby league needs to end,’ one fan posted. ‘Life bans should be handed to any crowd members sledging racist slurs.
NRL fans have thrown their support behind Latrell Mitchell after he was racially abused
The Rabbitohs star and his teammates heard the slur as they came off the pitch at half time
‘Latrell Mitchell inspires indigenous kids and is a modern legend of the game. Shouldn’t be tolerated at all.’
Another said: ‘You can dislike Latrell Mitchell all you like, but racially abusing him at a football game is beyond disgraceful.’
‘Whoever racially abused Latrell Mitchell has to get a life ban,’ a third fan said. ‘It’s 2023 and this is still happening.’
Meanwhile, another said: ‘Latrell Mitchell getting racially abused at Penrith by a idiot in a Roosters jersey is disgraceful. Jail or ban the idiot for life.’
After the game, an angry Jason Demetriou fumed at the sorry state of affairs shaming the NRL, and called for league bosses to act decisively.
‘It happened. It’s not the first time we’ve come here as a club and our players have been racially abused,’ he said.
‘Where does it end? It’s just not on. It shouldn’t have to be able to come here as a coach and lead our players to be racially abused.
Fans have taken to Twitter to back the South Sydney superstar after their Round 2 match
‘It’s not what our game is about and we have to stamp it out completely. NRL clubs have to get rid of it, life bans, anyone that wants to make racial abuse get out of the game, we don’t want their support. It’s got to end.’
When asked about Mitchell’s welfare, Demetriou said: ‘He’s sick of it. Why wouldn’t he be? He shouldn’t have to come here as a star of our game and be racially abused.
‘Who cares what colour he is? It’s not on. I don’t even understand how that happens in our day and age.
‘I can’t get my head around why a young kid thinks that is the language to be using. I don’t care what jersey he is wearing. Get it out of our game.’
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