Brisbane Broncos and Queensland forward Sam Thaiday target of racial abuse on social media
By Peter Badel
The Courier-Mail
June 07, 20129:24AM
A State of Origin storm has erupted on Twitter with Queensland enforcer Sam Thaiday forced to defend himself against a racist hate campaign, including a savage attack from a member of New South Wales' official supporters' group.
Thaiday has avoided the social networking site for the past fortnight after being subjected to a slew of personal attacks in the wake of Queensland's 18-10 victory in Origin I.
Several detractors have used Twitter as a platform to fire racial slurs at Thaiday, with critics of the Maroons hardman making slanderous references about his indigenous heritage
Some of the racial abuse is so severe it cannot be printed..
An offensive tweet was posted by Dylan Lockwood, who in his profile declares himself a "proud member of the Blatchy's Blues" - the official NSW Origin supporter group which boasts a 10,000-strong membership.
Thaiday, who has 4499 Twitter followers (Lockwood has 44), responds to the Blues fan by saying sarcastically: "Thanks for the great tweet mate . . . I hope you feel better you got that off your chest."
"I've stayed away from Twitter for the last two weeks, I have been getting sprayed on it," Thaiday said on Wednesday.
"It's everyone's opinion, they want to have their say and that is what social media is all about.
"I have my say on there but I just try and ignore that crap."
Thaiday said he could handle stinging critiques of his playing ability but not slurs about the colour of his skin.
"The racism stuff is nothing new to me but it does disappoint me," he said.
"People can come at me about my game but there is no need to bring the race card into it.
"If you want to attack me because I'm chubby or attack me because I missed a tackle, go for your life.
"But the deep personal stuff, the racial stuff, there's no need for that."
Created in 1999, Blatchy's Blues have become a brand in their own right, organising Origin supporters' tours to Brisbane via an official website.
The founder of the Blues' fan group, Dan Blatch, distanced himself from the attack on Thaiday.
Blatch said he was unaware of the Thaiday attack and offered a formal apology to the Broncos skipper on Wednesday.
"I wasn't aware of the Twitter post and as a group I do not condone it," Blatch said.
"That's concerning. I have a brand to protect and I'll be trying to track down the guy that posted it because it's not a good look for the game.
"We're about bringing good-natured fun to State of Origin, not abusing one of the game's leading players like Sam Thaiday."
http://www.foxsports.com.au/league/stat ... 6387091683
Racism in the NRL Continues
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Racism in the NRL Continues
Those in glass houses... hmm... racism seems rife in RL circles.
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Re: Racism in the NRL Continues
Wow, I wonder how our RL friends will defend this one!
What a disgrace!
What a disgrace!
King-Eliagh: ...I believe [RL] is popular in all the other states and territories, bar tasmania.
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Re: Racism in the NRL Continues
I expect silence. Hypocrites as we know the lot of em.Xman wrote:Wow, I wonder how our RL friends will defend this one!
What a disgrace!
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Re: Racism in the NRL Continues
Shocking stuff from an internet hero. I've seen this sort of shite all over youtube comments. Cowardly acts behind the computer. Sammy Thaiday takes it well, all in his stride. He has every right to be angry but I wouldnt be surprised that within his team and his sport he feels completely supported and the code's significant multicultural makeup no doubt would reduce feelings of racial isolation.
You gotta tip your hat to the NRL.
You gotta tip your hat to the NRL.
xman wrote:KE, why is an even comp important?
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Re: Racism in the NRL Continues
What support? Where is the universal criticism or action from the league? Here you are telling us the NRLs multicultural list makes events like this less common. Well this is a far more serious event than some fool in the collingwood crowd who was reported by fans and players and copped his deserved punishment. This NRL event has involved a campaign of abuse from an official NRL supporter group.King-Eliagh wrote:Shocking stuff from an internet hero. I've seen this sort of shite all over youtube comments. Cowardly acts behind the computer. Sammy Thaiday takes it well, all in his stride. He has every right to be angry but I wouldnt be surprised that within his team and his sport he feels completely supported and the code's significant multicultural makeup no doubt would reduce feelings of racial isolation.
You gotta tip your hat to the NRL.
And wheres the action? Disgraceful!
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Re: Racism in the NRL Continues
Several detractors have used Twitter as a platform to fire racial slurs at Thaiday, with critics of the Queensland hardman making slanderous references about his indigenous heritage.
Shocking!
Shocking!
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Re: Racism in the NRL Continues
This was a fan Xman. A fan who is not employed or representing the NRL. When i talk of the multicultural makeup of the code im talking about those working within the org dopey.
xman wrote:KE, why is an even comp important?
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Re: Racism in the NRL Continues
No.King-Eliagh wrote:This was a fan Xman. A fan who is not employed or representing the NRL. When i talk of the multicultural makeup of the code im talking about those working within the org dopey.
This was several detractors of an official fan group! This is just horrible! Where is the outrage??
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Re: Racism in the NRL Continues
Fan? Yes, a fan. And it was on social media, a very difficult area for action to be taken. There's numerous websites which are entirely racist yet havent been dragged down Xman.
Thaiday like the tru professional he is knows that this isnt coming from within his code, otherwise he wouldve given the matter a serious response.Xman you're going quite batty with all this racism stuff. Jumping up and down hooting and yelling for the death penalty to racist folk on social media while defending AFL employees developing racist policies which hark back to 1870. Seriously, get a grip man.
Thaiday like the tru professional he is knows that this isnt coming from within his code, otherwise he wouldve given the matter a serious response.Xman you're going quite batty with all this racism stuff. Jumping up and down hooting and yelling for the death penalty to racist folk on social media while defending AFL employees developing racist policies which hark back to 1870. Seriously, get a grip man.
xman wrote:KE, why is an even comp important?
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How are you defending this members of this racist NRL group?King-Eliagh wrote:Fan? Yes, a fan. And it was on social media, a very difficult area for action to be taken. There's numerous websites which are entirely racist yet havent been dragged down Xman.
Thaiday like the tru professional he is knows that this isnt coming from within his code, otherwise he wouldve given the matter a serious response.Xman you're going quite batty with all this racism stuff. Jumping up and down hooting and yelling for the death penalty to racist folk on social media while defending AFL employees developing racist policies which hark back to 1870. Seriously, get a grip man.
Theyre an official supporter group. The messages are clear. As I said, where is the outrage? seems to me it's the norm in the NRL and everyone just accepts its part of the league. Even Taiday said it was nothing new for him.
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Re: Racism in the NRL Continues
Defending? I'm not defending it, i said earlier i think its shocking and cowardly Xman. Read back idiot.
Part of the league? Ah no its not. As i said "socal media" and racism are very hard to control and take action against. You're quite a dummy Xman. You know that?
Part of the league? Ah no its not. As i said "socal media" and racism are very hard to control and take action against. You're quite a dummy Xman. You know that?
xman wrote:KE, why is an even comp important?
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Of course its part of the league! He was being abused about SOO by opposition fans! How is that not part of the league?King-Eliagh wrote:Defending? I'm not defending it, i said earlier i think its shocking and cowardly Xman. Read back idiot.
Part of the league? Ah no its not. As i said "socal media" and racism are very hard to control and take action against. You're quite a dummy Xman. You know that?
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Re: Racism in the NRL Continues
Are the fans employed by the league?
xman wrote:KE, why is an even comp important?
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Hahaha! Here we go!King-Eliagh wrote:Are the fans employed by the league?
It's the culture of a mugs sport! It's obviously a serious problem in this sport!
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Here we go? I've always pointed to the big issues being those within the code. The fans are external and thus less under the control of the governing body. Is this so hard to get Xman?
Now if we wanna compare crowd/fan cultures, I'm happy to. This RL example is concerning but in no way worse than what's happening on what seems to be a regular basis in the AFL. Additionally there's some disgusting examples of thuggery in AFL crowds which i posted some months ago. Absolutely disgusting some of the fighting going on in the AFL crowds. RL did have some horrible fan problems some years ago but they put the work in and cleaned it up. Something the AFL must continue to workhard on imo.
Now if we wanna compare crowd/fan cultures, I'm happy to. This RL example is concerning but in no way worse than what's happening on what seems to be a regular basis in the AFL. Additionally there's some disgusting examples of thuggery in AFL crowds which i posted some months ago. Absolutely disgusting some of the fighting going on in the AFL crowds. RL did have some horrible fan problems some years ago but they put the work in and cleaned it up. Something the AFL must continue to workhard on imo.
xman wrote:KE, why is an even comp important?
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