Margalit Injury Lawyers has filed a class action in the Supreme Court of Victoria against the Australian Football League (AFL) on behalf of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander persons who, from May 1980 to date, were VFL/AFL players that experienced physical and/or verbal racist abuse whilst participating in the AFL Competition. The claim is also brought on behalf of relatives of those players.
It has been alleged that (amongst other things) the AFL failed to enforce and implement rules and policies to prohibit racial vilification. It is also alleged that the AFL permitted racial vilification to occur without punishment or penalty and failed to provide a safe (including a culturally safe) environment.
Margalit Injury Lawyers is committed to fighting for the rights of all persons who have been affected by racism in the course of their AFL careers. We invite all affected persons to contact our office to share their stories with our team. All enquiries will be treated as strictly confidential and we provide free, initial advice. Call now on (03) 9133 0288.
Download Group Proceeding Summary Statement
Case Update
On 14 August 2025, a Case Management Conference (CMC) was held in the Supreme Court of Victoria.
Following the CMC, we anticipate receiving Orders from the Court in the week commencing 18 August 2025 which likely will grant leave to file and serve an Amended Statement of Claim in the proceeding.
The substantive changes made by the Amended Statement of Claim include:
- The joinder of Nicky Winmar as a second lead plaintiff to the proceeding, alongside Phil Krakouer.
- An amendment to the group member definition which requires that a person must have played in the AFL/VFL from May 1980 to date and are an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person in order to be included as a group member in this class action. In effect, such an amendment means that persons who may have been covered by the previous group member definition (ie played in the AFL/VFL from 1975 to 30 April 1980 and not thereafter and/or are a person of color but are not an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander person) would no longer be included or categorised as a group member in the proceeding.
- We also note that any umpires, officials and other AFL staff will no longer be considered eligible group members in this proceeding.
We advise any persons who may be affected by such changes to the Statement of Claim to seek legal advice without further delay, so as to ascertain whether they might have an individual claim.
Upon Orders being formally made by the Court, the Amended Statement of Claim will be published on both this website and the Supreme Court of Victoria’s website.
Acknowledgement of Country
Margalit Injury Lawyers acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land on which we work, live and engage, the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong Boon Wurrung peoples of the Eastern Kulin. We recognise the continuing connection to the lands, waters and communities. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present.
