Internationally renowned academic, political advocate and award winning author, Stephen Hagan reveals the darker side of racism in sport and exposes Australian ugly underbelly.

Australia's Blackest Sporting Moments: The Top 100 is a painfully easy read of incidents of racism in Australian sport. Hagan has cleverly used a diverse range of professional non-Indigenous contributors to review 10 separate articles and in doing so adds balanced perspectives of this regrettable past. The contrast in styles and interpretations of the 100 incidents is appealing in its simplicity.

Hagan takes the reader on a journey not many of them would like to go. However the compelling read of iconic figures identified in his book is so profound that the reader's initial anxiety of 'not another black arm band book?' is quickly relieved.

It is demonstrably clear from Henry Lawson's 1908 remarks of African American Jack Johnson defeat of Tommy Burns 'for a nigger smacked your face' to Yvonne Goolagong receiving abuse 'That's the first time I've ever been beaten by a nigger' to the infamous Queensland Cricket Captain, Jimmy Maher's, comments "full as a coon's Valiant'', that the author's extensive research has not missed an incident of note since the time of colonisation.

Hagan's deliberate inclusion of Indigenous perpetrators of racial abuse gives creditability to an otherwise bias book. Hagan is refreshingly honest in his condemnation of the offenders, sporting administrators and government officials who continue to deny that there is a problem of racism in sport. Australia's Blackest Sporting Moments: The Top 100 is a must read for everyone, of all ages, race, gender and religious persuasion.

Stephen Hagan

Stephen Hagan is a descendant of the Kullilli people of south-west Queensland. Born in 1959, his early years were spent living in a...

Internationally renowned academic, political advocate and award winning author, Stephen Hagan reveals the darker side of racism in sport and exposes Australian ugly underbelly.

Australia’s Blackest Sporting Moments: The Top 100 is a painfully easy read of incidents of racism in Australian sport. Hagan has cleverly used a diverse range of professional non-Indigenous contributors to review 10 separate articles and in doing so adds balanced perspectives of this regrettable past. The contrast in styles and interpretations of the 100 incidents is appealing in its simplicity.

Hagan takes the reader on a journey not many of them would like to go. However the compelling read of iconic figures identified in his book is so profound that the reader’s initial anxiety of ‘not another black arm band book?’ is quickly relieved.

It is demonstrably clear from Henry Lawson’s 1908 remarks of African American Jack Johnson defeat of Tommy Burns ‘for a nigger smacked your face’ to Yvonne Goolagong receiving abuse ‘That’s the first time I’ve ever been beaten by a nigger’ to the infamous Queensland Cricket Captain, Jimmy Maher’s, comments "full as a coon's Valiant'', that the author’s extensive research has not missed an incident of note since the time of colonisation.

Hagan's deliberate inclusion of Indigenous perpetrators of racial abuse gives creditability to an otherwise bias book. Hagan is refreshingly honest in his condemnation of the offenders, sporting administrators and government officials who continue to deny that there is a problem of racism in sport. Australia’s Blackest Sporting Moments: The Top 100 is a must read for everyone, of all ages, race, gender and religious persuasion.