Hawthorn AFL club president Jeff Kennett has addressed the allegations in the club's review of its historical treatment of First Nations players for the first time publicly.
Mr Kennett released a statement to club members yesterday, more than a week after explosive claims were revealed about the alleged treatment of Indigenous players at Hawthorn during the time Alastair Clarkson was head coach.
An external review commissioned by the club contained allegations key figures demanded the separation of young First Nations players from their partners, and pressured one couple to terminate a pregnancy for the sake of the player's career.
Clarkson and then-assistant coach Chris Fagan were named in the review, but both have denied allegations of wrongdoing and said they were not consulted as part of the review.
In his statement, Mr Kennett said the club wanted to hear directly from past and present First Nations players about their experiences at the club.
"When the club received the final report, it would be an understatement to say we were horrified at the stories that three of our past players and their partners had recorded," he said.
"If the allegations were true, these individuals, and their families, have been subjected to some horrific and unacceptable behaviours."
Mr Kennett questioned the publishing of the players' allegations by the ABC and said the club was concerned about the individuals and families who had been publicly named.
"This denied those named their ability to respond to those allegations in an appropriate and fair manner consistent with the AFL rules," he wrote.
ABC Sport put detailed questions about the allegations to Clarkson, Fagan and former Hawthorn player development manager Jason Burt before publication, but none responded.
Club president wants 'natural justice' to be served
Mr Kennett said Hawthorn held a meeting with the AFL and its counsel yesterday to discuss what form the AFL's inquiry into the allegations would take, and who would be involved in the inquiry.
The club president urged all parties to work with the AFL inquiry to bring the matter to a conclusion.
"Those hurt by alleged past actions should have their right to natural justice served, and the club can continue to learn and grow in this important space."
Earlier this week, former Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson expressed concern the AFL's investigation may be undermined by the publication of extracts from the Hawthorn review.
Clarkson, who was among the key figures named in the Hawthorn review, said he would cooperate with the investigation, but had "grave concerns that any chance of a fair process and just outcome have been seriously undermined."
"It remains profoundly disappointing that these matters are now being widely canvassed in the public domain without the opportunity being given to me or others to give our accounts or even read the Hawthorn report, which to this day I have not seen."
Inquiry should be independent says Players Association
Chief executive of the AFL Players Association, Paul Marsh, said the comments from the Hawthorn president were an encouraging sign the club sincerely wanted to address the claims.
"There's an opportunity for everyone to face this issue, I mean broader than just Hawthorn we have an issue around racism and I think we need to face into it rather than fighting it," he said.
"There might be some pain in the short term but I think we've got an opportunity to become a stronger industry."
The AFL Players Association wants the inquiry into the allegations to be an independent process, taken out of the AFL's hands.
"The AFL setting up a panel is not how I think this should play out, I think it should be independent and there are discussions going on at the moment around that," Marsh said.
The federal government on Friday announced a new Safety In Sport division will be set up at Sport Integrity Australia to help monitor and respond to allegations of mistreatment of athletes.
The government said it was in response to ongoing allegations of abuse and mistreatment across a range of sports.
Federal Sports Minister Anika Wells said the government would not dictate to the AFL how it should go about investigating the allegations at Hawthorn.
"I think what's important here is we need to provide alternative methods for athletes without either encroaching on NSOs [National Sporting Organisations], but without letting them off the hook," she said.
