ABC journalist Russell Jackson won the Gold Quill Award tonight for his article on racism in the AFL, The Persecution of Robert Muir is the Story Football Doesn’t Want to Hear.
Director for the Centre for Advancing Journalism Andrew Dodd said Jackson’s win at the Melbourne Press Club’s yearly Quill Awards ceremony underscores changing perspectives in the Victorian media’s coverage of racism in sport.
“It has sparked long overdue apologies and contributed significantly to a wider community conversation,” Dodd said in his presentation of the Gold Quill Award.
The Persecution of Robert Muir “transformed Muir’s life”, he said.
Published by the ABC in August 2020, The Persecution of Robert Muir detailed the racist treatment experienced by Aboriginal AFL star Robert Muir during the 1970s and 1980s and the impact of decades of abuse.
Muir’s story and the opportunities taken away from him were a “metaphor for this country”, Jackson said in his acceptance speech.
“Rob’s problem as a proud Aboriginal man was racism.”
“Rob, I know we’ve got a bit of work to do to get you the things you need, but I won’t stop until you feel safe,” he said.
Muir was in the crowd during Jackson’s speech.
ABC journalist and Melbourne Press Club board member Matilda Marozzi said Jackson’s win was “part of this bigger recognition that we have had problems in sports specifically, but sport being a microcosm of the broader community”,
“It is so good to see that the journalism community has recognised this as an important story.”
“10, 20, 30 years ago, maybe it wouldn’t have even been commissioned,” she said.
The Persecution of Robert Muir prompted public statements from the AFL and Muir’s former club the St Kilda Saints, apologising for their respective roles in his abuse.
The AFL Players Association, the Saint Kilda Saints and the AFL could not be contacted for comment on this story.
Pete Whelan 