Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell says the handling of the independent investigation into allegations of racism at the Hawks has fractured the relationship between the club and Alastair Clarkson.
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell says the handling of the independent investigation into allegations of racism at the Hawks has fractured the relationship between the club and Alastair Clarkson, but the AFL says it is still too early for the probe to be dropped.
said the investigation had become “a circus”, and had denied him and his co-accused, including former Hawks officials Chris Fagan and Jason Burt, any procedural fairness.Mitchell, the former Hawks’ premiership skipper and a key player throughout Clarkson’s tenure, has not been interviewed by the panel, and does not expect to be. However, he said on Friday it was time for the case to be expedited.
“We’ve done a lot of hours, and learning and education, about all those things over the last 18 months which I’m quite proud of, but the challenge keeps ticking along in the background.”Clarkson, former football boss Fagan and welfare manager Jason Burt have all denied the allegations of historical racism made by several Indigenous former players and families.
“We respect the process. It’s really important that this independent panel get to the end, and I am hopeful that people can talk and find a way through. It is incredibly difficult. There are incredibly serious allegations and the way the process has played out, it has taken a huge toll on both sides. That is one of the incredibly unfortunate byproducts of this.”
“I understand completely the ‘defendants’ are frustrated they are not getting access to documents, I think we respect privacy. It is very difficult, but we are trying to find a way through where the parties can talk and that’s what we need.” “I think if we soldier on and push towards to that, whoever is in control of all this … the only people enjoying it going longer and longer are the lawyers.”“There is one particular party that is the catalyst for all this that has not been investigated at all, their governance and conduct in this whole thing – the Hawthorn Football Club – just shameful,” Clarkson, now the North Melbourne coach, said.The Hawks will this year hold a 10-year reunion for their 2013 premiership.
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