Boxer battles coach's 'blackie' slur Friday, October 29, 2010 - 8:04 AM Source: BigPond Sport Trent Rawlins dreams of representing Australia at the London Olympics but says a senior coach who racially abused him is standing in the way. The 24-year-old athlete says further action needs to be taken against the coach who called him 'Blackie' at a training camp last year. The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) fined national coach Bodo Andreass for the offensive slur but Rawlins wants him prevented from having further influence over his career, including selection decisions and coaching. 'I'd find it very hard to be an athlete under a senior coach that racially abused me,' Rawlins told reporters on Thursday. Rawlins was born in Melbourne but his parents are from Barbados and South Africa. He is a two-time national amateur super heavyweight champion and is confident he could make the Australian team if Andreass was prevented from influencing Boxing Australia's selection panel. But six months of mediation with sporting officials through the Human Rights Commission have failed to produce an acceptable outcome. His lawyer, Siobhan Keating from Maurice Blackburn, says there is no justifiable reason why Rawlins' demands can't be met. 'The Australian Sports Commission has ample power to ensure this official doesn't continue to influence Trent's career,' she told reporters. 'It's an unwillingness on their part to do it rather than an inability.' But the Australian Sports Commission says it has no influence over the selection processes and coaching appointments for national teams. It says that lies with Boxing Australia. The ASC says it's surprised by Rawlins' comments because it has worked closely with him to resolve the matter, including offering him access to training facilities at the AIS. 'The ASC and AIS do not tolerate racial vilification and demand high standards,' the commission said in a statement. 'The ASC is satisfied with the strong stance it took on the matter last year following the substantiation of a racial vilification complaint against AIS boxing coach Bodo Andreass.' As well as the $5,000 fine, the ASC said it gave Andreass a first and final warning, formal counselling and cultural sensitivity training. 'Mr Andreass was also put on notice that any similar incidents in the future will result in losing his job,' the ASC said. Rawlins attended an AIS training camp in August last year when the coach told other boxers it was okay to 'just call him Blackie'. 'I said to the senior official nicely: 'There's no need to call me Blackie, just refer to me by my name Trent, please',' Rawlins recalled on Thursday. 'And he said: 'No, no, you are black, so everyone just call him Blackie'.' Andreass admitted that he made the racial slur and later apologised. Rawlins said he wouldn't have pursued the matter against the coach if he didn't have direct influence over his career. 'I was humiliated,' he said. 'The comments weren't light-hearted. If it was just a joke - even though it's still not right to call someone 'Blackie' - I would have let it go. 'But he continued to say it twice and I believe he said it with bad intentions.' Rawlins leaves for the United States this week to compete in World Series Boxing.
Does anyone know Andreass? Is this normal form for this bloke? In this day and age and of all sports you would like to think that we are well past the point of making pathetic comments such as this to humuliate someone....especially in front of thier peers.
AIS have a vasted intrest in Bodo and it doesnt look like he is going anywhere else soon from what im reading in the article posted.
Serious mate i ****ing hate some aspects of racism but to get sent to bed for that is just pure knee jerk over reaction at it's worst
if he wants to represent Australia and he felt humiliated from the comment then the Aussie way is to go outside and punch it on.. if you have what it takes to give him a descent hiding the name calling comes to an abrupt halt.. works for me..
I think you missed the point of the article. If what you suggest were to occur he would be straight off the team, suspended and or possibly banned from the ABA for life. How is this going to help him achive his goals in amateur boxing and represent his country at commenwealth or Olympic level? We are not at the local pub and these are not local redneck thugs, they are ABA boxing officals we are talking about, you can NOT lay a finger on them without risk of being suspended or banned, not to mention you would be up on criminal charges once you did lay one of the old *******s out cold, not a smart thing to do at all nor to suggest it but it did sound entertaining
im not the sort of bloke that would dob on someone for calling me a name. but if i thought the invitation outside is warranted and is directed in the proper fashion then u get the desired effect usually without a conflict, and without looking like a redneck thug.. being an Aussie its only fair to give them one avenue out.. i think thats more than generous.. :yep
I think a verbal response in said fashion would be appropriate but not after the fact as this would be pre-meditated, it would have to be in response imediatly proceeding the racist slur/insult then such response can be justifyed
im a believer in if u talk the talk prepare to walk the walk... except if they too old.. old boys deserve alot of respect in my book and always will..
I dont think if he had taken your advice mate he would be in USA right now competing in the World boxing series. I am pretty sure assault charges prevent you from getting entry to the states, i recall Katsidis had alot of trouble from an old assault charge that took a while to sort out so he could enter the states. I hear what your saying but there is a place and a time for everything and assaulting Bodo then and there wouldnt have been a smart move, a verbal insult would have sufficed and taken it from there, let Bodo swing first then put him on his azz and claim self defence but u just cant go belting blokes in aussie anymore, the police treat assaults very seriouse these days.