Naitanui keen to meet more racists

West Coast ruckman Nic Naitanui says he’d love to meet racist people so he can help them change their ways.

Naitanui, who is of Fijian descent, has been the victim of racist taunts on several occasions throughout his career.

In 2011, Naitanui was racially abused by a small group of Collingwood supporters during West Coast’s qualifying final loss at the MCG, while earlier this year a Perth man was charged with sending Naitanui racist tweets.

Sydney’s indigenous star Adam Goodes has been racially vilified during games on two occasions over the past 14 months.

Naitanui believes education is the key to helping eradicate racism in society, and says he doesn’t hold any grudges towards people who have abused him in the past.

“I have no hate against anyone. I just don’t have it in me,” Naitanui said.

“Guys like that – they don’t really bother me.

“I guess it’s just their lack of education or ignorance.

“I’d love to meet people like that and introduce them to our cultural backgrounds and what we’re all about, because at the end of the day we’re all the same.”

Naitanui joined forces with Richmond’s Bachar Houli on Thursday to promote the AFL’s multicultural round, which celebrates the diversity of cultures that partake in Aussie rules footy.

Houli, the first devout Muslim to play AFL, hopes his involvement in football will help inspire other Muslims to take up the game.

“Previously they (may have) thought it was a racist game, but hopefully through my involvement and the opportunities I’ve opened up, we can see more young Muslims growing up and playing at the highest level,” Houli said.

“It doesn’t have to be AFL, it could be soccer, basketball — (it’s all about) giving them that hope.”

When Houli was 11, he had to sneak out of his house in order to play football.

“My older brothers loved playing the game, but my parents weren’t fans,” Houli said.

“They hated sport altogether.

“They thought it was basically something that would get us into trouble, get us injured and veer us away from education.

“For me it was quite tough early on, but soon after they became my biggest supporters.”

Houli and Naitanui will be on opposing sides on Friday night when Richmond and West Coast lock horns at Patersons Stadium.

But the pair are in unity when it comes to embracing different cultures and eradicating racism.

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