Pies to probe race claim in ‘right way’
COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has promised the club won’t gloss over Heritier Lumumba’s racism accusations.
Buckley believes his character is being questioned but is adamant he never heard Lumumba being called a “chimp” during his playing career at the Magpies.
“The only mouth I have heard that nickname out of was Heritier’s himself when he told me about it, that is categoric,” Buckley said yesterday.
Collingwood’s integrity committee is investigating Lumumba’s comments that there was a racist culture at the club during his 10-year AFL career.
Lumumba said he was nicknamed “chimp” during his career at the Mapgies, which ended in 2014.
Two of Lumumba’s teammates at the time, Chris Dawes and Brent Macaffer, have confirmed they heard Lumumba being called a chimp.
“We are trying to gather everyone’s perspectives and these perspectives are new perspectives, it’s new information,” Buckley said of Dawes and Macaffer.
Lumumba wanted the club to publicly acknowledge the racist culture, which he said the club didn’t have a desire to deal with at the time.
Buckley pledged a thorough investigation by the club’s integrity committee.
“Clearly my character is being questioned ... and I know where I stand in that regard,” he said.
“But we will do this the right way and we will do it with the right people and we will do it with integrity. We are not about sweeping anything under the carpet here.
“It’s crucial ... some of the truths of some have been shared publicly but it’s our job as a football club to listen to our people, to learn from our people and to respect and value our people.
“There are obviously a lot of details that need to be unearthed and shared and spoken about with an open mind and an open heart so that we can address this situation.”
Lumumba, who now lives overseas, said he wouldn’t participate in the investigation.