For generations, First Nations athletes have been as staunch as they have been generous. From Sir Doug Nicholls to Nicky Winmar to Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, they have stood tall and stared down the endless stream of racism directed at them. Collectively, they have afforded their institutions, who hold a legal responsibility for their duty of care, with an eternity of time to act.
But those institutions and their administrators have maintained an archaic commitment to the status quo, using every inflection point to tie themselves in more knots. It has been a dark one way street. And with great consequences, First Nations players and their families have continued to love a game despite its refusal to love them back.
