A moral lesson for all Australians

Wednesday, 25th November 2009

The community in the AFL sex scandal has a case to answer quite separate from any criminal allegations, says John Heard

A first step, then, in setting things right would be to publicly punish those involved in the weekend. The code sets out penalties, and where applicable, these should be rigidly enforced. Those responsible for and to the club and the community, then, should not wait for a conviction to address the moral fallout from 10 October. Quite separate to the legal proceedings, the community and the club must reckon with the misconduct of players and supporters.

This would also go some way to acknowledging the fact that Montmorency — like other similar suburbs in the Municipality of Banyule, a remarkable area — does not tolerate the mistreatment of women. For Banyule is the sort of place, and Monty is the sort of club, that epitomises much that is charming and appealing about the outer suburban lifestyle. It is unfair and disappointing to anyone with a connection to the area that the community and its proud club should have been brought into disrepute.

In this way, and just on the uncontested facts, the Monty boys are not entirely innocent. This is the second major lesson. Too often the dynamics at play in a football context encourage, or at least do not prevent, revolting personal conduct and collective failures of decency and restraint. Those responsible for the care and guidance of young males, in particular, must do more to instil virtue and rigour in the players under their charge.

Finally, much has been made of the club’s claim that its leaders and some of its players have attended the AFL’s Respect and Responsibility program. If that is the case, and even without a rape conviction, that program is discredited. The AFL’s attempt to distance itself from the club in this regard only compounds the problem.

Indeed, in light of a spate of similar such scandals in recent years, the AFL cannot credibly claim that the Montmorency players and their associates are distant from, or somehow worse than, the players and teams directly under its care. Given the ubiquity of football, all Australians can be said to have a stake in how the AFL, and local communities, deal with events like the inexcusable weekend on Phillip Island.