Brisbane AFL player Callum Ah Chee calls out racist abuse

Brisbane Lions utility Callum Ah Chee has been racially abused online, days after being concussed in a controversial incident at the Gabba. Ah Chee, who will miss the Lions’ crucial clash with St Kilda on Friday night under the AFL’s mandatory concussion protocols, posted the abuse he received on Instagram.

It came after Carlton captain Patrick Cripps was on Thursday night cleared of his two-game rough conduct charge on Ah Chee during a marathon appeals hearing. Ah Chee posted the abhorrent comments, before writing it was “not something you want to wake up to”.

“How can this still keep happening,” the 24-year-old wrote on his Instagram story. “Why can’t my brothers and I just play the game we love without having to worry about shit like this.

“If my son grows up playing the game – I hope he doesn’t have to deal with this hate. It hurts and I’m sick to death of seeing it.”

Veteran Lions teammate Mitch Robinson said the comments were as “weak as it ever gets”.

“Fucking sick of having to see our Indigenous and multicultural players subject to racism over and over again. If you see it, even if you might know these uneducated trolls on social media keep calling it out and report them.”

The Lions have reported the incidences to the AFL’s integrity unit and on Friday afternoon issued a statement condemning the behaviour.

“It’s disgusting behaviour and we must, and we will, continue to call it out,” the club statement read. “There is no place for racism in sport, or in society full stop.”