Collingwood president Jeff Browne has staunchly defended CEO Craig Kelly amid a significant racism scandal, according to a revealing report by the Herald Sun.
Court documents disclose that Kelly, who became the Magpies’ CEO in early 2023 after leading the successful AFL player management company TLA Worldwide, is accused of making numerous racial slurs and committing physical assaults. These allegations were made by the club’s former head of First Nations strategy, Mark Cleaver.
On Wednesday, Browne denied that the Magpies have a racism issue and expressed his unwavering support for Kelly.
The court documents claim Kelly forcefully threw a ‘marngrook’—a ball made of possum hair, historically used by Indigenous peoples in Victoria and considered a precursor to Australian Rules football—at Cleaver, dismissively telling him to include it in his work without regard for its cultural significance.
Kelly is also accused of making disrespectful comments about Indigenous elder Aunty Thorpe following a meeting intended to resolve a dispute over a missed $500,000 payment promised to the organization by the Magpies and sponsor CGU, as part of the club’s 2021 ‘Do Better’ report.
After the meeting, Kelly allegedly referred to Aunty Thorpe in derogatory terms, showing a lack of respect despite claiming to care about Indigenous people.
Collingwood has maintained that they are committed to fostering a “welcoming, safe, and inclusive” workplace. The club stated that both internal and external investigations found no breach of workplace law, and the police decided not to pursue further action.
Browne emphasized the club’s dedication to the recommendations of the ‘Do Better’ report, asserting that Collingwood is the only club to undergo external investigation and fully implement all 18 recommendations from the report. He highlighted the improved culture within the club, where people from diverse backgrounds feel safe and are encouraged to voice complaints.
However, Cleaver’s lawyer, Daniel Victory, questioned whether Collingwood had truly learned from its past racism scandals. He called for more accountability from the club and suggested that the AFL consider penalizing clubs by deducting premiership points if such allegations are proven.
AFL spokesperson Jay Allen acknowledged the league’s awareness of a workplace complaint by a Collingwood employee, which was addressed by the club’s HR department as a workplace issue.
The ‘Do Better’ report was commissioned in 2021 following concerns raised by former Collingwood player Heritier Lumumba about racism at the club, which eventually led to an investigation and the implementation of significant recommendations.