Australian cricket coach Justin Langer is hoping retired AFL champion Adam Goodes will address his players about the Black Lives Matter movement.
West Indies great Michael Holding was critical of Australia and England for not taking a knee during their recent white-ball series. During England’s prior Test series against the West Indies, both teams kneeled and clenched their fists before play in support of the global movement against racism.
Langer says Australian cricket wants to condemn racial discrimination in the strongest and most effective way and will seek further advice from those who experienced it.
The final year of Goodes’ storied AFL career with the Sydney Swans was marred when he was continuously booed by crowds. In the years leading up to that season, the two-time Brownlow medallist had been vocal in speaking out about racism within Australian culture.
Prominent broadcaster Stan Grant is also on Cricket Australia’s wishlist of speakers.
“I want to hear it from our Aboriginal elders, from people who have experienced racial discrimination,” Langer said. “I want to hear it and what the best way forward is. Whether it’s taking a knee, we’ll come up with that in the next little bit. It’s certainly front of mind at the moment.
“Now we’re working through talking to Aboriginal elders, talking to people, hopefully like Adam Goodes, Stan Grant. We’ve got to be really clear, take our time and make sure we’re really strong on the messages and what we’re representing here.”
Goodes has stayed away from the AFL community since retiring in 2015, but his experiences recaptured the public’s attention last year when two documentaries focusing on the end to his career were released.