AFL Chief Operating Officer and former Sydney Chief Executive Tom Harley has defended the Swans and the AFL's handling of the Opening Round Bondi tribute.
The league was referred to the Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion by Liberal senator James Paterson after the club failed to reference the Jewish community in its tribute.
“What I do know about that was the intent of the Swans was pure,” Harley said when asked whether the incident was a setback for the AFL's push for inclusion.
“The tribute was beautiful and by their own admission, an error of judgment (by) not specifically calling out the Jewish community. That part has been addressed.
“What we do know and acknowledge as a game is we have a very privileged platform and if we talk to the specifics of that tribute and the response to the tragedies at Bondi which was a horrific antisemitism act so we don't shy away from that. The Swans have handled that and we move forward.”
The former Swans Chief Executive was speaking at the AFL's Cultural Heritage Series launch.
He indicated that the series was achieving its objective of accelerating fandom, participation and talent among culturally diverse communities.
Asked whether or not the AFL does enough to open itself up to the Jewish community, Harley said: “I think the key part, and this is a great backdrop to have this conversation, is continuing to listen and learn. That community is hurting, we lean in and stand beside them and listen and learn.”
It was a response that moved along the conversation well and addressed the key themes of the day without answering the crux of the question.
Harley was not particularly strong when asked whether he has spoken with Pavlich about the incident.
“I speak to all the club (chief executives) often,” Harley said.
“I have a role at the AFL where the clubs sit in my remit and I have a view that we are in partnership between the clubs and we are the facilitators, the custodians as the head body and I won't go into conversations I've had with Matthew but he's an outstanding person and always has pride in this role and has the highest of integrity so I'm fully supportive of him.”
All of his responses were uncontroversial and failed to speak to the deeper issue of the league's relationship with the Jewish community.
Journalists asked run-of-the-mill questions about the positive impact the sport has had as a global connector of cultures and it is important to acknowledge what the AFL has done.
Cultural ambassador Jayden Nguyen became the first player of Vietnamese descent to play AFL last year and connected with AFL Vietnam when he returned to his homeland in the off-season.
Isaac Quaynor has been a figurehead for growing the game in Africa as an outspoken member of the Ghanian community.
Bachar Houli has been one of the game's most influential figures of the last decade, starting the Bachar Houli Academy for Islamic footballers, which will this year compete in the elite U18s pathway competition and has produced several AFL players.
The league last year launched a Cultural Diversity framework, with goals centred around increasingly connecting with multicultural communities across Australia.
