The full extent of alleged racism faced by three AFL players, including former champion Cyril Rioli, at the Hawthorn Football Club has been formally aired, revealing the conversations between club staff and Indigenous players.

Allegations of unlawful discrimination, including family separations and pressuring a pregnancy termination, were levelled against Alastair Clarkson, his former assistant Chris Fagan and former welfare manager Jason Burt in 2022.

Rioli, who played in four premierships at the Hawks under former coach Clarkson, is the lead applicant in a Federal Court case against his former club.

Rioli’s wife Shannyn Ah Sam-Rioli, former players Carl Peterson and Jermaine Miller-Lewis, his partner Montanah-Rae Lewis, and Hawthorn’s former Indigenous liaison officer Leon Egan are also named.

Clarkson, now North Melbourne coach, Brisbane coach Fagan and Burt deny wrongdoing and reject accusations of racism.

During the off-season in 2011, Clarkson visited Rioli in Darwin while he and his wife were on holiday and allegedly told him to “be careful not to have babies and understand that your career has just taken off and that a child will disrupt your career or potentially end it”.

When Rioli travelled to be with family in 2017 after his dad suffered a heart attack, Clarkson made an unannounced visit to the Alice Springs hospital.

Rioli claimed the coach asked him “why do these Aboriginals have darker skin that you?”

Court documents revealed that during an end-of-season players’ trip in 2013, former Hawks player Grant Birchall allegedly asked Indigenous teammate Bradley Hill whether his partner was a “boong”.

Hill, who now plays for St Kilda, informed Rioli and Ms Ah-Sam Rioli, with court documents stating Hawthorn did not take action in response to the alleged incident.

Peterson claimed Burt told him in 2009 the club was opposed to him being in a relationship with his partner Nikita Rotumah.

After finding out Ms Rotomah was pregnant, Peterson was called into a meeting with Clarkson, Fagan and Burt where the head coach allegedly told him, “you need to break up with Nikita and focus only on your football”.

“Unless you break up with her and tell her to terminate the pregnancy, your football career will be in jeopardy,” court documents alleged Clarkson said.

Fagan allegedly nodded his head during the meeting before Peterson was given an hour to respond.

Miller-Lewis claimed the club tried to separate him from his partner Montanah Rae Lewis after the birth of their baby and this led to his mental health decline.

Multiple requests for Ms Lewis and their child to visit Miller-Lewis in Melbourne were allegedly refused and on one occasion Ms Lewis was told their visit would be a “distraction to Mr Miller-Lewis’s career”.

The former Hawks said the unlawful discrimination and negligence from the “culturally harmful conduct” including family control and interference and stereotyping resulted in them suffering distress, pain, psychological harm and loss of earnings and earning capacity.

The Federal Court claims came after mediation between the group and those accused of racism – including Clarkson and Fagan – was terminated by the Human Rights Commission in May.

Hawthorn commissioned and released the findings from a cultural safety review in 2022 to investigate allegations of systemic mistreatment of First Nations players at the club.

An AFL investigation later produced no adverse findings against Clarkson, Fagan and Burt.

Hawthorn will continue to work towards a resolution in a fair and timely manner for all parties, club president Andy Gowers said.

“The Federal Court process will importantly give Hawthorn Football Club the opportunity to respond to these allegations,” he said.

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