Sports combine to support Indigenous Voice, NRL, AFL, news, latest,

More than 20 of Australia’s largest sporting organizations have joined forces today in a groundbreaking move to support Voice to Parliament.

Current stars and former greats from a variety of sports have joined forces in Sydney and Melbourne with CEOs and other sporting association executives to support the voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Many of the sport’s governing bodies have already individually reiterated their support for the Indigenous Voice to Parliament, but have come together in a powerful coalition, encompassing Australia’s most popular codes and a total of around 10 million participants.

The event will be broadcast live on Fox Sports and the Nine Network and announced the release of an open letter co-signed by the heads of sporting organisations. The historic letter will be published in major newspapers across the country on Saturday, May 27th.

Read the full letter below.

The open letter, addressed to Australian sports fans, said that sport is “a unifying force for our diverse Australian society” and that “sport plays an important role in Australia’s reconciliation”.

The group affirmed, “As a collective, we support recognition by one voice” and encouraged “all Australians who love sport to listen with an open heart and mind at this historic moment.”

The list of participating bodies included those overseeing the AFL, NRL, football, cricket, rugby, golf, netball, basketball, tennis and boxing.

It also included sports from Taekwondo and Badminton to Triathlon and Deaf Sport Australia and Wheelchair Rugby League Australia.

It’s a rare moment of unity between Australia’s diverse sports community, which last came together in 2021 to speak out against online bullying of athletes.

The list of legends backing The Voice in the run-up to the referendum later that year was similarly extensive.

Sports legends Mal Meninga (rugby league), Cath Cox (netball), Andrew Gaze (basketball) and Eddie Betts, Leigh Montagna and Nathan Buckley (Aussie Rules) will be in attendance.

They were joined by Jason Gillespie (cricket), Jade North (football), Jamie Pittman (boxing) and Phil Waugh (rugby), as well as former Olympians Carmen Marton (taekwondo) and David Hynes (baseball).

Current superstars such as Alyssa Healy (cricket), Chloe Molloy and Phil Davis (AFL), Taniela Tupou and Angus Bell (Rugby Union) and Nathan Tang and Angela Yu (badminton) were also on hand and showed rousing support.

Rugby league legend Mal Meninga expressed his passionate support for the campaign on Friday.

“I feel privileged,” he said.

“I think it’s a celebration and an important theme in Australian history.

“I see nothing wrong with listening to the First Nations voice. Learn from them and learn from their past and trade with them.

“This is not about doing this for them or on their behalf. It’s about taking action together with them, and I think that’s generally the way we do things on the ground. You bring your team with you. They act together to be successful. I see great benefit in this.

“If you know your history, this should have happened 100 years ago.”

Cricket Australia was the latest major sport to announce its support. Chairman Mike Baird issued a statement Monday afternoon.

“The Board of Cricket Australia is proud of the powerful and unique history of cricket with Indigenous Peoples and, consistent with our continued contribution to reconciliation, supports the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Australian Constitution by the Voice,” said Herr Baird .

“We encourage respectful and inclusive conversations throughout cricket to support the continued education of our staff, players, volunteers and officials about First Nations history and culture and the proposal that the referendum provide a lasting and appropriate voice for First Nations people to formalize nations.”

OPEN LETTER TO SPORTS FANS

“Dear Australian sports fans,

We, the representatives of leading sports organizations in Australia, come together to deliver this statement to all Australians who love their sport:

Sport has always been a unifying force for our diverse Australian society.

Regardless of where we come from or what we believe in, sport brings people together in a spirit of achievement, community and celebration.

In addition, sport plays an important role in Australia’s reconciliation.

It has long been a means of including and celebrating the incredible achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

This year, in a referendum on the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Constitution, all Australians will have a say by introducing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander vote.

As a collective, we support recognition by one voice.

We believe our nation can achieve this profound recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the first peoples of our country in our Constitution.

And that we should do this by ensuring that Indigenous Australians have a meaningful say in shaping their own future.

We are committed to using our platforms to engage in conversations that foster respect, trust and goodwill between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

We are committed to improving education and understanding among the Australians who play, manage and watch our sports.

We encourage all Australians who love sport to listen to this historic moment with an open heart and mind.

We respect that everyone has the right to make their own decision in the referendum.

Together we share a vision for the future as a nation that values ​​justice, fairness and the rights of our land’s traditional custodians.

The country where we play, love and celebrate sports in Australia.”

PARTICIPATING SPORTS

Australian Football League, Australian Taekwondo, Badminton Australia, Baseball Australia, Boxing Australia, Cricket Australia, Deaf Sport Australia, Football Australia, Golf Australia, PGA of Australia, Motorsport Australia, National Basketball League, National Rugby League, Netball Australia, No Limit Boxing , Rugby Australia, Sport Inclusion Australia, Tennis Australia, NRL Touch Football Australia, Triathlon Australia and Wheelchair Rugby League Australia