Australian Rugby League powerbrokers involved in racial feud
Sydney, Feb 6 : Australian Rugby League (ARL) powerbrokers are involved in a racial feud, with Aboriginal great Larry Corowa launching a severe attack on ARL commissioner Chris Sarra following the sacking of ARL Indigenous Council chairman Percy Knight.
Knight made this sensational allegation on Tuesday that there is rampant racism within the NRL's administration and it is very toxic, Telegraph.com.au reports.
It comes in the very week when rugby league celebrates its indigenous heritage through the All Stars concept.
Knight received a one-paragraph termination letter from ARLC chairman John Grant on Friday, informing him he had lost the faith of his fellow council members, it reported.
That prompted a venomous response from Corowa in a fiery letter to Grant and Sarra, in which he asked: "Chris, how do you live with yourself in the knowledge that you played a prominent and key role in our demise from ARLIC?
The letter added: "Is this the Aboriginal way or the Coconut way?"
The term coconut is a deeply offensive racial slur, suggesting an Aboriginal is black on the outside but white on the inside.
Corowa was not backing down when contacted on Tuesday, and he said the council is there to tick the boxes for white fellas, for the National Rugby League (NRL) and John Grant.
The Balmian winger added the first council meeting he went to, there were more white people than black people and it's meant to be an indigenous body.
He further said the Australian government wants to close the gap on indigenous rights, but the ARL Commission is widening the gap with the way we are treated.
Corowa said Knight has been knifed in the back, and he added they are sick of the control from the white people in the game, adding aboriginal people do have brains and they can manage their own programs.