Western Bulldogs forward Justin Sherman has been suspended for four Australian Football League matches for racially abusing a Gold Coast Suns player.
The incident occurred during a match on Saturday. Sherman racially abused Joel Wilkinson, a rookie of Nigerian descent who was making his AFL debut.
Sherman will also donate $5,000 to a charity after being ordered to attend a conciliation hearing as part of the AFL’s racial and religious vilification code.
He is the first player banned for breaching the code since St Kilda ruckman Peter Everitt was handed a four-game suspension and a $20,000 fine for vilifying Fremantle’s Scott Chisholm in 1999.
“It’s been a long time, fortunately, since we’ve had one of these cases and may it be a long time … before we see one again,” AFL football operations manager Adrian Anderson said on Monday afternoon.
Asked how bad the offending comments were, Anderson said ‘bad enough’ and that Wilkinson was deeply hurt.
‘He was devastated by what was said on the ground and there is no place for it in football any more.’
Sherman apologised to Wilkinson and later did so again in a public statement.
‘I’d like to publicly apologise first and foremost to the player involved,’ he said, before going on to apologise to the two clubs and the public.
‘There is no excuse for my behaviour and the fact is I should have known better, especially given my close friendships with (Bulldogs indigenous players) Nathan Djerrkura, Liam Jones and Josh Hill.
‘I am devastated, I want everyone to know that this is completely out of character and will never happen again.’
They have been numerous cases of racism in the AFL this year which have also included fans.
Earlier this month, Sudanese recruit Majak Daw was racially abused by a fan who was removed by ground security.
In April, Lance Franklin of the Hawthorn Hawks was subjected to racial abuse by a fan who was never caught.
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