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AFL great Eddie Betts has said racist abuse directed at his children while they played in their backyard will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Betts told a panel on the Fox Footy channel on Saturday that the racial abuse his children experienced was worse than anything he had suffered during his AFL career, adding that his children were now too scared to play in the backyard. .
The father-of-two previously shared CCTV footage of racial slurs shouted from a white car passing by his property as his children played basketball at their Glen Iris home in Melbourne’s south-east about 8.40pm on Thursday.
“It was a tough start to the weekend, a horrible start with what happened at my house,” a visibly emotional Betts told the panel.
“To see that someone actually got out of their car at 8:40 at night, to drive up to my house and yell insults at my kids over the fence, I think this hits a lot harder than all the racial abuse I’ve ever suffered.” during my years.
‘And that’s because it’s directed at my children with so much hate.
Eddie Betts used his appearance on a television football panel to address the racial abuse shouted at his children while they played in their backyard.
‘The children are fine now. They were a little shocked. They are too afraid to go out and play basketball at night. “It was very, very hard and difficult to watch.”
Betts said he believed it was the right decision to share the unpleasant incident.
“I’m glad I raised awareness about this because if I didn’t, you wouldn’t have known what happened,” he said.
“This is still happening to Aboriginal people all over the country.”
Betts said he would continue to call out racism and urged Australians to continue having “uncomfortable conversations” about racism.
‘We just have to keep saying it. It’s exhausting and I’ve mentioned it many, many times,” he continued.
“I will still be here in front of everyone and I will put a face to it and I will stand out and I will call it out and I will educate and I will educate because we need to eradicate racism here in Australia all together because it hurts.”
Betts, who played 350 games for Carlton and Adelaide, said he had a message for the person who had shouted the abuse.
“I want the people who have done this and walked by my house yelling insults at my children to know that it is painful,” she said.
Victoria Police said they were investigating the incident which occurred at Betts’ home in Melbourne’s southeast on Thursday night.
‘This will stay with them for the rest of their lives and for the rest of my life.
“The only place I would want my kids to feel safe is at home, and they can’t even feel safe at home.”
Betts said that despite the tough week he wanted to thank the football community “for their support and showing their love.”
“We received your messages and it means a lot to hear your support,” he said.
‘It helps us a lot. As a family, we will remain united and I will continue to be here in front of everyone and continue to educate. That’s the only way we’re going to move forward.
Betts, who played 350 AFL games for Carlton and Adelaide, said the incident caused him more pain than the racial abuse he suffered on the field.
“To everyone at home, if you’re watching this, please have those uncomfortable conversations with your kids, your family, your friends, because that’s the only way we’re going to move forward in this nation.”
Victoria Police confirmed on Friday night that they were investigating the matter.
“It is alleged that a vehicle drove by the property shortly after 8.30pm and shouted from the windows before driving away,” police said in a statement.
“The matter is currently being investigated.”
The AFL, its clubs and players and even Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the disgraceful incident and pledged their support for the Betts family.