Eddie McGuire's racist slur

Eddie McGuire appeared on Channel 9's Today show this morning, desperately trying to justify what he said on radio - that Adam Goodes should be used to promote the stage show King Kong.  

Carl Stefanovic tried to help by saying he'd known Eddie a long time and knew he wasn't a racist, but it was a lame attempt, it is what it is - a racist slur that came from the mouth of the President of the Collingwood Football Club.

But the most embarrassing thing about this affair is that Eddie made such a big show of being outraged when the 13 year old girl called Goodes an "ape" at the game last Friday night.  He fell over himself apologising to Goodes on radio and television and now we discover that he and the young girl share the same mindset about Aboriginals.

Goodes coach John Longmire said Goodes was "staggered" by McGuire's remark and said "He saw first hand how upset Adam was, I just can't believe that he said it."

Collingwood Football Club released a statement on Monday 27 May 2012

The Collingwood Football Club met today with a member who used offensive and racially loaded language during last Friday's match against the Sydney Swans at the MCG.
As a result of a meeting, a confidential understanding was reached which will see the man participate in education and counselling related to racial vilification.  An apology to Sydney players Adam Goodes and Lewis Jetta has also been written.  For reasons of privacy, Collingwood will be making no further comment on the matter.

Collingwood can have counselling for racial vilification sessions until the cows come home, but until embarrassing penalties are put in place, nothing will change.  Fans have to be educated not to shout out racial slurs and if they do, the player concerned should do what Goodes did on Friday, stop the game, point them out and kick them out.  The young girl was booed when she was escorted out by security, so it's clear the fans don't like it either.

Eddie McGuire is from the "old school", too old to change.  Move over Eddie, with more brilliant black players on the field than ever before, the ape jokes just aren't funny any more.

Edit:  As expected, today Collingwood's board offered its "full support" to Eddie McGuire for his racist comments so he won't be standing down as President.