Richmond Football Club has furthered its formal commitment to reconciliation through the release of its 2023-2026 Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
The RAP, which introduces initiatives to create change across the national sporting landscape and broader community, has been endorsed as an Elevate by Reconciliation Australia.
Richmond was the first sporting organisation to receive Elevate RAP endorsement in 2015, having initially launched its first RAP and formal commitment to reconciliation in 2011.
The Club is one of just 17 organisations across Australia that has Elevate RAP status and is the only sporting team acknowledged nationally in such a way.
Reconciliation Australia formally endorses these organisations with consideration to their demonstrated history of achievement and leadership across core RAP areas, including respect, relationships, and opportunities.
Richmond’s 2023-26 Elevate RAP focuses on transforming sport through purposeful anti-racism work – including sharing knowledge and resources to educate and upskill the sporting community and improve race relations across the industry.
The development of a publicly accessible website will be the centrepiece, housing resources that will support the promotion of cultural safety while tracking engagement and gathering data on community understanding.
The commitment follows an AFL Players Association’s Insights and Impact report, which found that one-third of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players have experienced racism while listed as an AFL/W player.
The Club has also committed to Indigenous social and emotional wellbeing and self-determination. Part of this is a commitment to ensuring its Indigenous staff and players feel safe and are active decision-makers on issues that impact them.
Richmond CEO Brendon Gale said that the contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players, their families, and communities had been integral to the success of the Club.
“Sport has an unrivalled capacity to connect people, to bring people together, to unify. By extension, it also provides a platform to build understanding and promote respect,” he said.
“A reconciled Australia will be the best version of this great country, and as an elite sporting Club, we are fully committed to taking a leadership position to help
deliver a reconciled Australia.
“This plan is ambitious, and it should be. As a member of the Elevate RAP community, we are recognised for our demonstrated leadership, but we must continue to look for new ways to play our role. This RAP reflects that ambition.
“Richmond Football Club is proud to launch the third iteration of its Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan, and we will continue to listen to and be guided by Indigenous voices as we work together to deliver great outcomes in the coming years.”
Reconciliation Australia CEO Karen Mundine added congratulations to the Club.
“With a 100,000-strong membership base, Richmond is uniquely placed to encourage pride in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and set the benchmark for other codes, clubs, and teams for what reconciliation in sports looks like and achieves,” she said.
“On behalf of Reconciliation Australia, I commend Richmond Football Club on this Elevate RAP and look forward to following its ongoing reconciliation journey.”
