With the Cats due to tackle Sydney this weekend, Geelong president Colin Carter addressed the recent incidents of Adam Goodes being booed. This is an exert from the speech Colin made at the Cats’ presidents’ function last Saturday. 

“The other big issue that has occupied us this week is forming our club's response to the treatment of Adam Goodes. It is really sad that this is something that we have to address – and it is also a bit ironic because it was only at our last game here at Simonds that we celebrated our Closing The Gap round when our own players wore their Indigenous jumper to highlight this important campaign – which acknowledges the painful truth that Aboriginal Australians - on average – have a life expectancy of 10 years less than do non Aboriginal people.

“I want to make it very clear that our club regards the crowd treatment of Adam Goodes as completely unacceptable. I know that there are a variety of reasons being advanced to justify the crowd booing but none can justify the extent of it. The sustained and relentless booing has become nasty and is nothing like the traditional good natured booing at the footy which is like booing the pantomime villain. I think that Damien Hardwick, the Richmond coach summed it up pretty well when he said that "at best it is bullying and at worst it is racism". And when the booing becomes an international news item – such as it is now overseas … for example on the BBC in London …. we know that this is out of control and causing damage.

Our club's culture has been built on a handful of values and one of these is 'respect for diversity'. We are committed to that without any reservations. And so, the spotlight will be on us, of course, next week because we will be playing the Swans down here at Simonds and we very much hope that our supporters will demonstrate the values that are so important to our club. I received a message this week from Gerard Whateley who is one of our number one fans. Gerard spoke for all of us when he expressed the hope that next week our supporters would set (and I quote) "a soaring example' of decency. We believe that we will."