Eddie McGuire QUITS as Collingwood president after damning report about systemic racism within the club – bringing his controversy-plagued 23-year reign to an end
- Eddie McGuire, 56, has stepped down as president of Collingwood Football Club
- McGuire’s announcement came a week after a report into the club’s racist record
- He initially called the release of the damning report a proud day for Collingwood
- Powerful media identity has overseen Australia’s biggest footy club for 23 years
Eddie McGuire has stood down as president of the Collingwood Football Club.
The media personality, who has held the position since 1998, fought back tears as he made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday.
McGuire’s decision comes less than a week after the release of a report that revealed there was a history of ‘systemic racism’ within the club.
The controversy-plagued president was slammed for calling the release of the report ‘an historic and proud day for the Collingwood Football Club’.
He referenced those comments at the beginning of Tuesday’s press conference, with his opening line: ‘I try my best and I don’t always get it right, but I don’t stop trying.’
Eddie McGuire has stood down as president of the Collingwood Football Club, less than a week after the tabling of a report that found the club had a history of ‘systemic racism’
The media personality, who has held the position since 1998, fought back tears as he made the announcement at a press conference on Tuesday
‘From the moment I became the President of the Collingwood Football Club on my 34th birthday back in 1998, my sole motivation was to heal, unite, inspire and drive a new social conscience,’ McGuire said.
‘Not just into this club, but sport and the community in general and build an organisation that would be a place for opportunity for all people.
‘I don’t it is either fair or tenable for the club or the community (to continue in this role).
‘People have latched on to my opening line last week and as a result I have become a lightning rod for visit tree but have placed the club in a position where it is hard to move forward with our plans of clear air.’
The report into the club came after former Collingwood premiership player Heritier Lumumba claimed he was racially abused on a number of occasions during his time at the Magpies.
McGuire has himself been plagued by accusations of racism during his presidency.
In his most infamous gaffe he likened abused Indigenous footballer Adam Goodes to King Kong, just days after the former Sydney Swan player was called an ‘ape’ by one young Collingwood supporter in the crowd at the MCG.
Despite his initial comments, within 24 hours of saying he was ‘proud’ of the report McGuire had backflipped.
He admitted at the club’s Annual General Meeting the next day that ‘I got it wrong’.
‘I said it was a proud day for Collingwood, and I shouldn’t have,’ McGuire opened the meeting.
‘I didn’t mean we were proud of past incidents of racism and the hurt that it caused. I am not.’
The report into the club came after former Collingwood premiership player Heritier Lumumba claimed he was racially abused on a number of occasions during his time at the Magpies
His resignation came just a day after an open-letter, signed by political, sporting and business greats, urged McGuire to stand down
But McGuire’s admission he had made a mistake did little to appease Lumumba or a chorus of others who were calling for him to resign.
His resignation came just a day after an open-letter, signed by political, sporting and business greats, urged McGuire to stand down.
‘We believe there are administrators, staff, fans and members of the Collingwood Football Club who truly wish to see it transcend its history. This can only happen with a radical shift in leadership,’ the letter read.
‘We believe Eddie McGuire has proven himself incapable of leading the Collingwood Football Club through any meaningful transformation. We call on him to step down immediately.’
The former journalist, sports commentator and Who Wants to be a Millionaire? host said his position was no longer ‘tenable’.
He thanked the Collingwood players, coaches and supporters, as well as his wife and two sons, for supporting him during his three-decade long tenure.
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