Another bout of fan-to-player racist remarks has reared its head in the AFL.
On Monday evening Adelaide Crows forward Izak Rankine shared a slur messaged from an unnamed social media account with zero posts sent to him.
Rankine was traded to the Crows over summer and starred in last weekend's Showdown against Port Adelaide - his breakout game at the club.
The Crows quickly released a statement strongly condemning a "hurtful and abhorrent racist remark" directed towards Izak Rankine via social media.
Adelaide chief executive Tim Silvers said the racial vilification of Rankine was "totally unacceptable and disgraceful, and the Club would not stand for it."
"All of us have a responsibility to call out this type of reprehensible behaviour," Silvers said.
"Equally, we must also take the time to understand the hurt it causes the person who has been targeted, as well as in this instance all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
"From the Chairman and Board of Directors through to our players, coaches, staff and volunteers, we are determined to use our voice and platform to continue to make a stand.
"We are committed to playing a role in educating as many people as we possibly can."
It comes just two weeks after Bulldogs' star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan was subjected to racist comments, understood to have come from a St Kilda fan at Marvel stadium in round two.
Last month South Sydney's Latrell Mitchell received racial abuse from a fan during an NRL match in Penrith.
In their own statement the AFL said they stood with the Crows "in calling out the racist comments, comments that cause significant hurt and harm for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples".
The matter has been directed to the league's integrity unit.
"The AFLIU has been contacted by the Adelaide Crows and will now provide support for those impacted and investigate the matter, working towards identifying the individual concerned," the AFL statement read.
"We strongly support all our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players and condemn the racial vilification of anyone in the community in football.
"The AFL continues its ongoing implementation of the 'Peek rule' and the work never stops against vilification, especially in the online space and the challenges surrounding the identification of antagonists.
"The AFL wants to make clear, there is no place in our game for anyone who vilifies our players."
More to come.
