#8 Heritier Lumumba

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

I really wish him and the other two, Leon and Andrew well. My previous comments towards Lumumba on Nick’s were more about defending Nathan Buckley, who I think he unfairly targeted, than about defending the club. Nathan wouldn’t have a racist bone in his body. Neither would Mick Malthouse. What’s mitigating about the club is that Collingwood isn’t the only club fending off racism accusations. Other clubs have done it in the past. Doesn’t excuse it. Racism in all forms is abhorrent. Those three were great great players in the club history - two of them premiership players. If they choose not to follow the club I still hope they can get behind Craig and the players and follow their fortunes on the field. They have nothing to do with Collingwood’s past.

[stui magpie]

Interesting timing considering the authors of the Do Better report just recently did a review and reported significant progress being made.

Only details are the statement Lumumba made on Twitter and he's not getting a lot of sympathy.

I wonder exactly what this 15 months of engagement with the club has looked like as I understood he hadn't been engaging at all and wouldn't know what was going on.

Maybe Leon and Andy have been engaging and aren't happy with the progress but we only have his word for that at this stage.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

The club might be attempting to engage but obviously Lumumba isn’t so it’s stalemate. You kind of feel sorry for the current administration because they’re not responsible for the previous administration- unless they’re as bad as the previous administration - we don’t know. Jodie is indigenous isn’t she? Why wouldn’t she be sympathetic to the three former players?

[stui magpie]

Here's the article about the progress review into the Do Better report.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/done-better-collingwood-applauded-for-significant-and-genuine-progress-20220329-p5a93h.html

Collingwood got slammed when the report came out, but to date we're still the only team to have commissioned such an independent review and taken transparent action on it, we sure as hell aren't the only club to have had issues with racism.

[Mr Miyagi]

Sharrod Wellingham’s mum said her son had no major issues at Collingwood but had a lot of trouble at WC. She was quoted in media. Despite the Hawthorn issues recently reported, there’s no initiative to do their own Do Better report and there’s barely any media pressure. It’s AFL wide. Our issues were exacerbated by Ed running his big mouth. And the consequences are current admin and players and coaches who had nothing to do with the club during Lumumba’s time will bear the brunt of the scrutiny.

[piffdog]

Agree its AFL wide (Tex Walker and the Crows say hi!) and society wide. I do wonder if the revelations about Hawthorn have any impact on this topic and the timeliness the recent statement?

[David]

[stui magpie]

@ David, this part " inevitably, at least in part a PR exercise by a club seeking to salvage its damaged reputation." is in my view cynical in the extreme.

My view is that the club and players are genuinely trying to make it a more welcoming safe place. I don't think Jodie Sizer would support just a PR exercise.

Remember, the club commioned an independant review and is having the authors back to check on implementation of it's recommendations. That's pretty good governance that no other club has gone near. Whatever happened in the past can't be changed.

As far as "corporates" go, you might be surprised.

I do agree that Lumumba and the club have different objectives, we just don't actually know what Lumumba's objective is. As far as I'm aware he's had an apology, if he wants money then take action.

I assume more will come out on this.

[David]

I have no doubt that there are people in the organisation who mean well, and maybe all of them do, as you say, have nothing but the best intentions on this front. But before we take too rosy a view of this process, let's not forget that the club were still playing funny buggers with the report as recently as January last year, when after its submission they decided to sit on it indefinitely until the media finally leaked it and forced their hand.

Perhaps there's been a cultural shift (or at least democratisation of decision-making) since McGuire left and Browne took over, but let's not forget that Sizer was already a board member then; whatever her view on that decision, and whatever she may or may not have been trying to do about it behind the scenes, her presence alone doesn't necessarily assure me of the club's best intentions.

At the end of the day, these people – the people who have the most power in the organisation – have a business to run, and PR is seen as an important part of that. We all know that those discussions, about how best to present their progress on the Do Better report to the public, and how to respond to it in ways that are compatible with the club's financial aims, are being had in earnest behind closed doors.

Sometimes PR goals can be compatible with good ethical intentions, and everyone wins. But it's when they're in conflict that half-measures and insincerities can win out. As Jack Lang put it, when in doubt, "always back the horse named self-interest".

[matrix10]

[PyreneesPie]

Stui wrote "we just don't actually know what Lumumba's objective is"

Herein lies the issue with Heritier I believe. Has he ever stated exactly what he wants to achieve for himself or others - not just nebulous things like "just outcomes", but real specifics like public, unequivocal apology, dollars etc. ,

If he could be clear and unambiguous with what he wants to have happen - to the club, to the general public - then I reckon there'd be a huge groundswell to see it eventuate.

Maybe he thinks everyone should instinctively know exactly what it is he wants, but unless people are told specifics in a direct, precise and clear manner, they can either not get the message or choose to ignore it. This applies to all walks of life, not just racist issues.

[Mr Miyagi]

Lumumba named Eddie and Bucks as the key to his campaign and lawsuit. Neither are no longer at the club and Lumumba isn’t naming them anymore, it’s all “the club needs to redress past issues.” He’s shifted the goal posts, albeit with Leon and Kraks making their own legal claims. So while I want the club to act on its Do Better report, Lumumba isn’t making it easy for the club to do anything with him. He wanted Ed and Bucks — they’re gone, got what he wanted, but now he wants something else. He needs to take a step forward as much as the club.
I want a good outcome for all of them, but Lumumba isn’t winning me over.

[Piesnchess]

H does not seem to realise both Eddie and Bucks have departed the Club, and from what i have read,many parts of the Do Better Report has been implemented. Cannot believe hes stiill banging on about this, has he not heard of Tex Walker and the goings on at Hawthorn. ?? To me he cant accept the new regime at Collingwood, the new era, hes an attention seeking dickhead, still trying to remain relevant. Ive lost all time for his antics now,he cant accept being out of the limelight now.

[Mr Miyagi]

Funny how Adelaide isn’t getting any attention, and the media has lost interest in Hawthorn already. From what I’ve gathered, Lumumba has joined the lawsuit with Leon and Kraks. It’s no longer about Eddie and Bucks and an apology, he wants the club torn down. It shits me because Leon and Kraks deserve better

[Piesnchess]