Sydney are unsure whether Adam Goodes will play in Saturday’s AFL match against Adelaide as he struggles with his latest racial vilification drama.
The Swans, the AFL and the players association have rallied around the two-time Brownlow Medallist, while his mother has also called on fans to stop booing him.
Goodes was not at Tuesday’s training and coach John Longmire said the star was having a couple of days away from the club.
“Adam needs a couple of days away … to take a breath about it,” Sydney coach John Longmire said.
Asked if Goodes would play against the Crows, Longmire replied: “We’ll just take that as we go.
“We need to make sure that we’re fully supportive of him and wait a day or two and let things settle down and he’ll decide that.
“There’s no pressure on him at all.”
West Coast fans constantly booed Goodes during last Sunday’s match in Perth.
Fellow indigenous Sydney player Lewis Jetta made a war cry dance at a section of the crowd in the last quarter as a show of support for Goodes.
Indigenous official Jason Mifsud briefed Tuesday’s meeting of the AFL Commission about the Goodes issue.
“Racism has no place in our game, and while I respect that people may have different views about what is happening to Adam, it is impossible to separate this issue from the issue of race,” McLachlan later said.
“The booing of Adam Goodes is being felt as racism by him and by many in our football community.
“As such, I urge our supporters to understand the toll this is having, the message it is sending, and that it does not reflect well on our game.”
The AFL Players Association also met Sydney and the AFL as senior figures across the game publicly supported Goodes and called on fans to show more respect.
“We believe that Adam has been vilified for calling out racism, for expressing his views on Aboriginal issues, and for celebrating and promoting his proud cultural background,” players association boss Paul Marsh said.
“This is not something for which Adam should be vilified – it is something for which he should be celebrated.”
Sydney’s next away game is in two weeks against Geelong.
Swans football manager Tom Harley said his old club had already been in touch with Sydney about how they should handle the issue.
