AFL Struggles (Australia)

Aussie Rules Football (called 'footy') is one of the most popular sports in Australia and has had a long history of trade unionists, environmentalist, LGBT and anti-racist activism associated with it.

Timeline of Struggles

• 1883: Two Carlton players are suspended by the Carlton committee for misbehaving on a trip to Maryborough. In response, nine players refused to play any further games and the team's fortunes slipped until the players were reinstated.
• 1911: Several St Kilda players went out on strike in protest at the club committee's banning of a former player and a present player's father from the change rooms prior to the match. The inner club wrangling saw Carlton win the following week's match by 20 goals.
• 1914: Army recruiment officers trying to get people to fight in World War I are frequently heckled and sometimes attacked during footy games.
• 1928: Police are banned from playing AFL games with the Port Melbourne Club after a police shoots a striker during a strike in Port Melbourne.
• 1970: Essendon players strike for a large wage increase, which they win
• 1981: Umpires in the VFL strike over poor treatment from bosses
• 1981: South Melbourne players strike for eight weeks over pay and conditions, they win their demands
• 1995: AFL players threaten a strike, but don't strike after getting greater injury compensation
• 1998: Numerous AFL players publicly condemn logging in Western Australia and stand for environmentalism despite media slander.
• 2012: Numerous AFL players publicly condemn homophobia in Australian and AFL culture.
• 2013: Aboriginal AFL player Adam Goodes is attacked and booed at matches with racial slurs, numerous players condemn the racism and stand with him in solidarity.

References

1883-today: The radical history of Aussie rules football - libcom.org