Indigenous football great Eddie Betts is calling for all AFL clubs to review their treatment of First Nations players following allegations of serious misconduct at Hawthorn. Betts says some of the allegations reminded him of the Stolen Generations. 7NEWS
but, more disturbingly, he’s unsurprised. In fact, the former Adelaide and Carlton great, who was celebrated by so many during his playing days, says he still feels he doesn’t belong in Australia.
While calling on all AFL clubs to review their historical treatment of First Nations players, Betts recalled a horrible moment this year when he was in a pool with his baby and told by a lifeguard to get out because an elderly white couple had complained.Analysis, local footy and the biggest moments, Seven and 7plus are the home of footy shows for every fan. Stream them all for free on“Well, it keeps happening. We grow up with this stuff.
“I find myself being followed by security guards in a shop ... This year, I was in a pool and the lifeguard came up to me and told me that I needed to get out of the pool. “I was holding my kid, my baby in my hand with my two twins riding around. And I found out that two old, white elderly people told the lifeguard to tell me to get out of the pool because I was making their grandchild uncomfortable.
“And that just made me feel like I don’t belong here in Australia, because these issues keep occurring, that I keep facing, that all Aboriginal people keep facing here in Australia. And I honestly don’t feel like I belong here, but my wife keeps driving it into me and keeps telling me that out of anyone, you should feel like you belong here, out of everybody because this is your country, and you should never feel like that.
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