Port Adelaides Aliir condemns racist behavior

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Port Adelaides Aliir Aliir has called out football fans who feel the need to racially abuse players, whether verbally or through social media.

Aliirs team-mate Junior Rioli has been the subject of a racist message on social media following his side’s narrow victory against Essendon on Saturday.

The Power has released a statement regarding Rioli, who was suspended for two games for hitting Bombers defenseman Jordan Ridley, and now Aliir has come to the defense of his colleague and friend.

The defender condemned those who act in this way when all that is at stake is a game of football.

As a club we were able to get around him and put our arm around him and let him know we were there for him,” Aliir said on SENs Sportsday SA.

This racism, as much as I would like it out of the game, it will always be there.

It’s shit, I hate it, I hate people who pass by.

You should be able to come to the game and support your team whether your team loses or wins. You can’t come out and make racist comments just because your team lost a close game or a game they should have won, whatever the case.

You don’t have the right to do that. Just come to football and enjoy the game. That’s why we play, we play football for love and the fans come to watch us for love.

You shouldn’t go there to target certain players.

Born in Kenya to South Sudanese parents, Aliir has faced racism himself during his career but still finds solace in the support of the wider AFL community and those close to him.

It annoys you, but the good thing is how many people in the AFL community surround you, players you’ve played against, ex-players who message you just to say, Were there for you, did you -he adds.

These little things are the ones that you appreciate the most and that make you think too much. I know it’s hard at times, but you have your family who have always been there for you and who have their arms around you and their full support.

It’s a shitty situation because I know exactly how Willie (Junior) would feel. All I can do as a friend and as a teammate is let him know I’m there for him no matter what he needs.

Despite the problems, Aliir is confident that the power has built up a great community of ex-Indigenous and First Nations players to help the new generation deal with any problems in this undesirable field.

The good thing about our football club is to bring these players back, just to be able to chat, Aliir said.

Because there are young aboriginal children who are drafted just so that they can be given confidence in what they have been through and how they have handled certain things.

So that you can give young children the confidence that if they see something, say it rather than being silent about it.

I think our club does it better than anyone.

Listen to Aliir below:

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