The Victorian Government has launched a new campaign aimed at tackling racism in community sport, with a focus on raising awareness, supporting those affected and improving reporting pathways across sporting clubs.
Community Sport Minister Ros Spence unveiled the Racism Doesn’t Belong In Our Game campaign on Thursday, describing sport as a force that brings communities together and should never be used to divide them.
The initiative will be delivered by the Centre for Multicultural Youth and CMSport, alongside the Victorian Aboriginal Community Services Association Ltd and several of the state’s major sporting organisations, including AFL Victoria, Basketball Victoria, Cricket Victoria, Football Victoria, Netball Victoria, NRL Victoria and Tennis Victoria.
The campaign will roll out across metropolitan and regional Victoria through educational resources, digital tools and community engagement activities designed to help clubs recognise and respond to racism.
A central feature of the campaign is a series of personal stories from Victorians involved in grassroots sport. Among those sharing their experiences are AFL club president Nabil Yassine, Hume Cricket Club representative Avtar Singh and former professional basketballer Sharin Milner.
The campaign comes amid broader efforts across Australian sport to address discrimination and create more inclusive environments for players, volunteers, officials and spectators.
Spence said racism can affect individuals and communities regardless of where it occurs.
“Whether it happens on the field, on the court, in the stands, in change rooms or online, racism harms individuals, families, clubs and communities,” she said.
Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria Ingrid Stitt said the initiative sends a clear message about the state’s expectations for respectful behaviour in sport and community settings.
Former Women’s National Basketball League player Sharin Milner said community sport has a unique capacity to connect people from different backgrounds but only when participants feel safe and respected.
“Community sport has an extraordinary power to bring people together, but that connection can only flourish when everyone feels safe to be fully themselves,” she said.
Milner said lived experiences are an important part of understanding racism, noting that its impacts are not always easy to identify through policies alone.
Former Melbourne Victory women’s player and Avondale Football Club Community Engagement Manager Gülcan Genitsaris said sport can help foster belonging and break down barriers.
She said everyone should feel safe, respected and valued when participating in sporting activities and that clubs have a shared responsibility to create welcoming environments for future generations.
Centre for Multicultural Youth chief executive Carmel Guerra said racism in community sport can leave lasting effects long after a match or training session ends.
She said the campaign is grounded in evidence and lived experience, with the aim of supporting long-term cultural change across Victoria’s sporting sector.
Campaign resources and information for clubs, participants and community members are available through the Victorian Government’s anti-racism in sport programme.
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